Torr Achilty Power Station And Dam, Conon Valley Hydro Electric Scheme

Torr Achilty Power Station and Dam, part of the Conon Valley Hydro Electric Scheme, was built in 1955 to a design by James Shearer, who was the architect for the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board’s architectural panel. The building is a large, roughly L-shaped power station constructed in a modernist style with vernacular touches, featuring a tall single-storey turbine hall to the rear and a two-storey office block. The entire structure is integrated into a substantial concrete gravity dam that includes a central Borland fish lift, all set within a broad gorge on the River Conon.

The power station is primarily built from snecked random sandstone rubble with sandstone ashlar dressings, incorporating a banded base course, a banded cill course to the turbine hall, and an overhanging eaves course. The southeast elevation, the main entrance face, has a full-height canted window alongside a recessed bay containing the main entrance doorway. The doorway is framed by chamfered ashlar with a carved panel above displaying the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board coat of arms. To the right (northeast) are deeply recessed bays containing large, small-pane windows for the turbine hall. The southwest elevation features an advanced two-storey block to the right (southeast) with rectangular windows, those on the ground floor enclosed in continuous sandstone surrounds, flanked by a single blind bay at the far right. A recessed section to the left accommodates a large vehicular access doorway with a recessed sandstone surround and a transomed rectangular fanlight above. A slightly advanced terminal bay, terminating at the dam wall, has a centrally placed rectangular window.

The windows are predominantly fitted with small-pane metal glazing in painted metal surrounds, with some hopper top openings. The roof is a recessed platform with integrated rainwater goods.

The interior includes a large entrance area with an open staircase leading to the former control room, board room, and offices on the second floor. Further offices are located to the left (southeast) at ground floor level. The large, tall, single-storey turbine hall to the rear is of a predominantly functional design, with a large overhead gantry crane and supporting piers to the side walls. Twin turbines are recessed within deep turbine pits.

The concrete mass gravity dam is integrated with the rear of the power station at the centre. A vehicular access deck oversails a fixed spillway to the right (northeast) on slender concrete piers. The central section includes a large buttressed section incorporating the Borland fish lift. The left (southwest) elevation is plain and features a battered profile to the lower section of the downstream face.