Pitlochry — United Kingdom
Hydro power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom. Approximate location 56.6991, -3.7406.
HydroScotlandUnited Kingdom
Pitlochry is a 15 MW hydro power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is operated by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 15k homes (estimated). It ranks #718 of 2,860 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 1.9% of United Kingdom's electricity; the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GBR0000394.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 15 MW, Pitlochry is well above the median hydro plant in United Kingdom (3 MW). Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of United Kingdom hydro capacity
- 0.3% of 5,950 MW across 118 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest hydro plants in United Kingdom
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 56.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 56% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 82/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #34 largest hydro power plant of 118 in United Kingdom by capacity.
United Kingdom has 118 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 5,950 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Beinn Eagagach Hydro · Hydro · 1.1 MW · Scotland
- Calliachar · Wind · 32.2 MW · Scotland
- Griffin · Wind · 156 MW · Scotland
- Tummel · Hydro · 40 MW · Scotland
- Keltneyburn Hydro · Hydro · 2 MW · Scotland
- Bruar Hydro Scheme · Hydro · 1.9 MW · Scotland
Location
Coordinates 56.6991, -3.7406 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Pitlochry?
Pitlochry is a 15 MW hydro power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom.
Who operates Pitlochry?
Pitlochry is operated by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).