A plan to create an energy park at the former Glenmuckloch opencast coal mine in Dumfries and Galloway took a significant step forward when the Scottish government gave consent for a pumped storage hydro scheme of up to 400MW on the site.

The project would regenerate the former opencast site, which has ceased commercial coaling and is now undergoing restoration works. It would also create more thatn 250 jobs during a five-year construction programme and more than 15 longterm local jobs when complete.