A Highland community has celebrated the start of work on a new hydro power scheme which will raise money for local projects.
A turf-cutting ceremony was held on Saturday to mark the start of construction BroomPower project near Ullapool.
The project is getting under way after eight months of planning and a successful £900,000 fundraising effort by campaigners.
The facility is expected to generate income for community projects for several decades and promises a return for investors once it becomes operational in the autumn.
BroomPower is the latest of more than 400 locally owned renewable energy projects across Scotland.
Construction of the BroomPower hydro is being undertaken by experts chosen by BroomPower operators Lochbroom Community Renewables (LCR) for a track record in building small-scale hydro schemes.
The event on Saturday was held at the Braemore Hall and also included a turbine-naming ceremony which has been the subject of a competition among schoolchildren.
LCR chairman Tim Gauntlett said “We’re hugely excited to have reached this important milestone in the story of BroomPower. It’s taken months of hard work by many dedicated people to get us to this point.
“I think it’s fair to say there’s a mix of relief and genuine celebration to have at last reached the moment when the actual build can begin.
“Safety is and will remain our main priority in both the construction and operational phase.”
