Turlough Hill

I love interesting buildings and so I was intrigued when I read about an open day in Turlough Hill electricity plant in Wicklow. I am sure I have forgotten most things I learnt in school but mention of Turlough Hill rang a big bell . They are celebrating their 40th birthday, I was 10 when it opened first. It was a big engineering feat. in the 70's. They built a artificial lake on top of a hill just above a natural lake. During the night there is an excess of electricity in the system so they use the spare electricity to pump water up into the artificial lake, then during the day when demand is big the water powers turbines as it flows back down into the lower lake.It takes nine hours to pump the water up to the artificial lake and they get seven hours of hydro electricity .

I love 1970's architecture.

The lower lake.

 This is the control room not just for Turlough hill but other hydro plants including the one in Leixlip near where I live.

It is a kilometer into the hill to the turbine room.

It has a James  Bond baddie base feel about it.

Daylight at last.

The entrance. 

http://www.esb.ie/main/education/Turlough-Hill-40-years.jsp