Developers hoping to build a £100m hydro power plant in a disused Gwynedd quarry have withdrawn an application for a key permit. Snowdonia Pumped Hydro (SPH) needs a licence to discharge water into a lake at Llanberis as parts of the plans. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said it had not been provided with enough information about the scheme.
SPH said plans for the power project are continuing, and it was “not concerned” by the permit development. “As a developer we expect there to be bumps in the road on the way,” said the head of SPH, Dave Holmes.
Plans for the 99.9Mw hydro plant at the former Glyn Rhonwy quarries in Llanberis are currently being considered by the UK planning Inspectorate. Under the proposals, water would be released from reservoirs above the quarries to generate electricity at peak times, and later pumped back up from quarry ponds.
As part of the plans, there are contingencies for water to be discharged into Llyn Padarn if necessary.
“Llyn Padarn is a vitally important natural asset for the area,” said Dylan Williams, operations manager for NRW. “We only issue an environmental permit if we are wholly satisfied that a company’s plans prove it will operate safely, without harming the environment or local communities.”