Hydroelectric power has been generated at Cwm Dyli (near Beddgelert), within the Snowdonia National Park, since 1906. In fact, electricity produced there powered the first ever transatlantic transmission station set up by Marconi in 1912 near the village of Waenfawr, Caernarfon.

Since it was rebuilt in 1990 the single Francis turbine site has been capable of producing 9.8 megawatts of green energy.

Construction of Cwm Dyli started in 1905 to supply power for the then prosperous slate industry. Three traction engines were needed to help mule and horse teams haul heavy machinery and other supplies the eight miles over the Llanberis pass from the railway station.

Water for the site comes predominantly from the Llydaw lake some 320 metres above the site high on the slopes of Mount Snowdon where rainfall averages more than 400 centimetres a year (about 13 feet!). It travels to the powerhouse through a two kilometre long pipeline. At peak output, the station uses approximately 3,500 litres of water a second. (To put that in context, when you take a bath you probably use about 450 litres of water!)

Cwm Dyli Hydro Scheme power house. Although it has always been a power house the building used to be referred to as "the church in the valley", on account of its appearance

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