Part of the Energise residency included an exploration of the 106MW Galloway hydro-electric scheme in south west Scotland. Built in the 1930's as part of the UK's then new National Grid network to supply every household with electricity for the first time, the scheme was the source of significant controversy locally at the time of building.  Through a series of local engagements with all ages of the community, we sought to explore if residents felt the same way 87 years later in 2019.

In this ongoing series in which I seek to raise awareness that in delivering our modern lifestyles and societies there will always be a cost to our actions and demands.  As we address the climate emergency there will be impacts which cannot be avoided if we are to meet wider global goals.   The real debate surrounds what local impacts are acceptable in delivering solutions to a global emergency.

"A raider comes today who kills

The glories of our glens and hills

With unheroic acts and bills

and "Private Legislation"

The Company promoters pen

Will Dam the Deugh and dam the Ken

and Dam the Dee - oh Dam the men

Who Plan such desecration!"

W.G.M. Dobie (local poet) - 1932

"Blended in the landscape it speaks in two voices, one quiet, still and peaceful, the other roaring, powerful and robust - a true partner to share our chosen landscape"

Anon - Response to community engagement. 2019

"Fantastic, impacts, time with friends, smoking weed, fossils, energy, swimming, talking, walking, old, natural source of energy, lots of water, it rains a lot, old-school, interesting, ahead of its time, reusing water many times, power, water, eco, lochs, excellent, environmental, required, part of the landscape, history, Art Deco, eyesore?, unmanned, efficient?, landscape, a big white building, electricity, power, environmental impact?, never thought about it, positive focus, renewable energy, not much more, impressive landscape feature, don’t know, vision for the future, can we have some beavers, conserve for longevity, educate, successful environmental project, part of the solution, the future, fascinating, proud of the impacts, vision and brilliance, not sure, social history, progress, engineering, landscape transforming, forward thinking, shows what can be achieved with good policy, nothing really, never heard of them, identity, a resource to use and learn from, changed the landscape, refuge for wildlife - very important to me, fresh air, freedom, cycling, people, food, Catstrand, a super place to be valued, historical buildings, nostalgia, pure energy, new lochs, new habitats, good thing, architecture, impression of dated technology, ugly, consciousness raising, asset, sailing, canoeing, scenery, beautiful spaces, common sense power, cheap power, dramatic, powerful, noisy, valuable, production, recreation, wondrous, strength and power, respect it, will erode a canyon, conflicting views, clean energy, negative to breeding birds, enjoy lochs, natural looking, flooding, beautifully integrated, “always been there”, ignorant of purpose, sustainable, local, part of the countryside, exploration, landscape change, wetland environment, a vibrant super powerful cocktail, awe, fierce, unpredictable, spooky presence of lit buildings at night, gushing, man made structures, using same water 6 times over to produce energy, flooding, Scotland-really-droopy, I-like-the-countryside-best, wind-turbines-spoil-views(grandad-says), it-is-mucho-raining, horrible-rain, flooding, the-animals-are-very-cute, its-way-more-peaceful, its-way-better-than-LONDON, belted-Galloway, Highland-cows-are-cute, river-life, dynamic, community-wealth, loads-of-fun, good-times, future, laughing, beautiful-wind, nothing, boring, rain, work, moist, brighter-futures, positive-changes, improvement, corporations-liberation, progress-environment, 2040-climate-change, rain, Galloway, renewable, eco-life, fish, water, life, modern-life, preservation, Scotland, rain, I-have-no-idea-what-the-Galloway-Hydros-are, I-don’t-know-what-they-are, power-lines, power-Lines, Landscape, trees, clouds, climbing, sheep, trees, cows, grass, kayaking, forestry, sailing, zip wire, laser-quest, I-love-Loch-Doon, Galloway-Activity-Centre, fits-into-the-environment, good, BRILLIANT, I-love-hot-chocolate!, colourful, jaw-dropping, astonishing, soul shaking, unbelievable, powerful, ghostly, WET, beautiful, inspirational, thank-you, light-bulb-moment"

Community Responses (primary to pensioner) when questioned on what words and thoughts the hydros inspired.  All responses included.  2018/9

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One of the 6 dams that form the network, Carsfad, was emptied for maintenance 2018, revealing a hidden world in monochrome beneath. 

within weeks of emptying, the seed bank begins a remarkable recovery