The power station at Crossapol
Photograph of the power station at Crossapol in 2006.
Electricity was first generated on Tiree during World War II. Five power stations with diesel generators were constructed – one at Gott, two at Hough and two at Crossapol – to service the numerous RAF installations on the island. After the war, the power station beside the airfield was purchased from the Air Ministry and brought into civilian use in the 1950s.
In the late 1980s Tiree and Coll were connected to the national grid by undersea cable from Mull and the diesel generators were used only as a stand-by. In 2002 the cable was replaced and the overhead line network and Tiree power station were refurbished at a cost of £2 million.
During the hurricane in January 2005, the undersea cable stretching across Gunna Sound between Tiree and Coll was broken. The Tiree station generated the island’s electricity for several months until the cable was repaired.
Colour photograph of Tiree Power Station.
Tiree Power Station, photographed by Dr John Holliday in 2006.