During low demand periods, the water is then pumped back up into the reservoir to be used again. Construction and operation of the station has provided employment for the region.
Key facts
Turlough Hill became the Hydro Control Centre (HCC) for ESB's 10 hydro-stations. Pumped storage
Hydro
60 km south of Dublin-Wicklow Mountains
681 M HIGH – 136th highest summit in Ireland
Turlough Hill took 6 years to build. At its peak there were approximately 500 people working on the construction.
Upper reservoir
Ireland's only pumped-storage hydro station
Holds 23 million cubic metres of water Was created by excavating 2.5 million tonnes of rock
Contains 40 acres/16.2ha/160,000 square metres of waterproof lining Has an embankment nearly 1.8 km long/nearly 30 m high
The underlying rock is granite
Lower reservoir Around 48.8 m deep
Cirque (corrie) lake left by a glacier at end of last Ice Age
Did you know … Before the station was built, the hill didn't have a name on the Ordnance Survey map. The engineer who carried out the original survey and recommended the site, J. O'Riordan, decided to name the hill after his son, Turlough.
Did you know … The station can go from standstill to full generation in 70 seconds.
Turlough Hill is situated close to
Stations using other types of fuel (for example, gas) can take up to 12 hours.
Being numerate:
1. According to the infographic, Turlough Hill can go from standstill to full generation in seventy seconds. Calculate how many times Turlough Hill could go from standstill to full generation in a twelve-hour period.
2. At 681 m, Turlough Hill is the 136th highest summit in Ireland. Investigate where Ireland’s highest summit is found and how high it is. Calculate the difference in height between it and Turlough Hill.
Glendalough
1. Describe how any two of the following were impacted by glaciation in County Wicklow: (i) Agriculture – Forestry
(ii) Tourism (iii) Turlough Hill and hydroelectricity
