Inlet Structure, LEM

LEM, Loch Eilde Mor. This is the old dam at Loch Eilde Mor. In past life water from here was conducted by way of a brilliantly engineered gravity pipe line, (almost contour hugging such is its shallow gradient) round the shoulder of the mountain to decant into Black Water Reservoir thereby increasing the effective hydro electric catchment of that scheme. I think this (the Black Water Dam) must be close to a century old and still one of the longest dams in Scotland.. While the BW scheme is still operational as a standalone generating station the adjacent aluminium smelter it was built t o power has been demolished. The LEM addition was built by German POWs along with other infrastructure around Kinlochleven.


The LEM structure is to be refurbished shortly and will feed a new penstock (penstock is pressurised pipeline as apposed to a gravity pipe which flows like a drain) and will feed another new power house close to the former smelter site.

Can I just mention that, not with everything, but I totally support the govenment intervention to (at least) delay Hinkley point.

The top EDF management are divided about the risk element as no one knows the real cost yet; somewhere  between 18 and 38 billion. One manager resigned because of his worries.

On top of that the plant, if built, is assured of a feed in tarriff double the going market rate. 

The term, "too big to fail" is being used. This implies that when EDF get into financial difficulty we will have to finance its completion. Imagine if we were all forced to pay for the construction of a new supermarket and were then forced to shop there and everything cost double its real value

You really want a Nuclear Power Station being built within a cost/corner cutting environment. Even the strong and sometimes militant French Unions   (who could see a job benefit) are opposed to its progress. I am dumfounded that their UK counterparts cannot also see the bigger picture.

Oh, and I haven't even mentioned dealing with the nuclear waste. If you want a really sleepless night just spend a couple of hours reading about its disposal  Its a shameful legacy to leave future generations to contend with. 

Ironically the same Westminster government have pretty much cancelled any moves to encourage traditional clean renewables like hydro.
 Got so carried away there forrgot to mention a couple of extras.