Glen Earrach Energy Commits £15 Million for Biodiversity Improvements near Loch Ness

Glen Earrach Energy (GEE) has proposed a £15 million investment over the next decade to improve biodiversity in the Ness catchment, contingent on the approval of its 2GW pumped storage hydro project near Loch Ness. The funding is intended to enhance local ecosystems and aims to reverse the significant decline in salmon catches in the River Ness, which have plummeted from 3,000 to less than 450 in recent years.

GEE will co-design this initiative with experts and local stakeholders, potentially attracting additional funding. The investment exceeds the annual budget of the Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, which has previously expressed concerns regarding the ecological impacts of GEE's project. Ongoing consultation with local communities will inform a 10-year biodiversity monitoring program as part of the Ness Regeneration Plan.