Doka helps upgrade Lochay hydro plant: formwork design notes for engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
Doka’s Radius Top 50 timber-beam formwork has been used by TRS Formwork to construct a 12‑sided plinth with complex corbels and angles at SSE Renewables’ Lochay Hydro Power Station in Perthshire, which generates about 170GWh annually. A 3D-led design enabled Doka engineers to calculate precise radii and angles, develop a bespoke connecting plate for a WS10 formwork ring, and pre-assemble components off-site for final in situ adjustment to existing concrete. The approach cut cycle times to meet a 12‑week programme, improved material efficiency and kept the station operational during refurbishment.
Technical Brief
- Complex geometry and legacy concrete ruled out standard modular or panel formwork systems for the plinth.
- Generator alignment and vertical load transfer requirements drove the need for highly accurate bespoke shuttering.
- Formwork had to accommodate numerous contours while still delivering a continuous, smooth concrete surface.
- Radius Top 50’s customisable timber-beam configuration allowed each pre-assembled unit to match unique facets.
- A WS10 formwork ring was created using a custom connecting plate cut to a defined angle.
- Off-site cutting and partial assembly reduced on-site carpentry, minimising redesign risk and labour at Lochay.
- High dimensional precision enabled millimetre‑level fit-up between new and existing concrete without remedial adjustments.
- Material efficiency gains from precise prefabrication also reduced waste volumes and associated environmental footprint.
Our Take
Doka’s EcoVadis Silver rating from 2026, highlighted in a separate piece in our database, will matter for UK clients like SSE Renewables as utilities increasingly screen contractors on ESG credentials for regulated infrastructure upgrades.
A 12‑week intervention on an existing asset such as Lochay Hydro Power Station in Perthshire aligns with a pattern in our Infrastructure coverage where operators prioritise short-outage, formwork-intensive refurbishments over greenfield hydro builds in the UK planning environment.
For a 170 GWh/year plant, incremental uprating or life-extension works using specialised formwork solutions from Doka and TRS Formwork can materially defer capex on replacement capacity, which is strategically attractive as SSE Renewables balances hydro with its offshore wind pipeline in the United Kingdom.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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