DRILL & BLAST - COIRE GLAS PROJECT | TECHNICAL
The project has welcomed visits by SEPA, the Highland
Council, Nature Scot, and other local stakeholders, giving them insights into what tunnelling involves, which should assist them when working with us in future. It would be remiss not to also mention the project’s
recent accolades, including Project of the Year at the 2024 NCE Tunnelling Awards, and GI Project of the Year, two years running, at the Ground Engineering Awards. Finally, deserving of one last mention, the collaborative
clocked more than 500,000 man-hours and is now 2+ years without a Lost Time Incident (LTI). Given the site’s location, managing environmental
hazards has also been a big consideration. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) granted abstraction and discharge licences to the site in 2023, and during the course of the Works more than 160,000m3 of tunnel effluent was successfully uplifted, treated and returned to Loch Lochy, within strict water quality criteria. Seventeen Planning Monitoring Office inspections over the course of the Works have been made without a single non-compliance.
spirit between Client, Designer and Contractor at Coire Glas was perhaps the greatest success, and allowed the project to overcome significant hurdles, and everyone came out the other side still on good terms! Sean brought the presentation to a close with another
note of thanks to everyone involved, but not before answering the question on everyone’s lips. What’s next? Coire Glas is awaiting its final investment decision from SSE, which is heavily dependent on the outcome of the Government’s Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) ‘cap and floor’ payment mechanism. Engagement with the Designer, along with civil and M&E contractors, to finalise the scheme is ongoing. The plan is to commence Main Works construction once funding is secure, with the scheme to be completed in the early 2030’s.
Far left and above: Steel ribs and Class-SQ top heading excavation, respectively
PHOTO CREDIT: JOE COXSON
Far left: Tunnel support class pie chart
PHOTO CREDIT: JOE COXSON
Left: Tunnel progress analysis
PHOTO CREDIT: TOM WATERHOUSE
February 2026 | 19
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