Rheidol Hydropower Plant featured on ITV Cymru Wales

Statkraft’s Rheidol Hydropower Plant, located near Aberystwyth, has featured on ITV Cymru Wales’ Sharp End programme, as part of a series looking at the future of energy in Wales.

The hydropower plant is made up of an interconnecting group of reservoirs, dams, pipelines, aqueducts and power stations, and covers a total area of 162 square kilometres. The control room at Rheidol also monitors Statkraft's other operating projects throughout the UK and Ireland, including wind farms and Greener Grid Parks. It has been in operation since the 1960s and was specifically designed to take the existing landscape into consideration.

Presenter Rob Osborne spent an afternoon on site back in October and was taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the plant by Statkraft’s site manager Gareth Jones, starting at Nant-y-Moch reservoir, and ending in the largest power station at Cwm Rheidol.

Rob also sat down with Dennis Geyermann, Statkraft’s Vice President for Operations and Maintenance, to talk about some of the challenges faced when developing renewable energy in Wales, including the resourcing of the planning system, and common misconceptions around solar and land use. Dennis also spoke about the importance that Statkraft places on community engagement.  

You can watch Statkraft's appearance on Sharp End (from 22:54) here.