Turlough Hill Power Station, Pumped-storage power station in County Wicklow, Ireland
Turlough Hill Power Station is a pumped-storage facility in County Wicklow, Ireland. It sits on a hilltop and features a upper reservoir and an underground powerhouse.
Built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the station was the first of its kind in Ireland. It was designed to store excess electricity and release it when demand peaks.
The name Turlough Hill comes from the Irish word for a dry lake, though the hill now holds a man-made reservoir. Locals often use the area for walks, and the contrast between the engineering and the wild landscape is striking.
The site is best reached by car, with a drive up a narrow road to a parking area near the top. From there, you can walk around the reservoir and take in views of the surrounding landscape.
The station can switch from pumping to generating in less than a minute, helping to balance the national grid. The reservoir on top is actually a former bog that was flooded.
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