New Pond was constructed as part of the complex arrangement for the provision of water to Pont Ceunant hydro-electric generating station (nprn 407230) built in1899. In that year a Belgian firm, the Societe Anonyme Metallurgique, of Liege, took over Frongoch Mine (nprn 302) and set about installing new electrically-driven plant. Power was supplied by a Pelton wheel and steam engine in the generating station situated 1.6km to the west of the mines dressing floor. Arranging a water supply to feed the generating station was complex: it involved tapping water into a new length of leat from the existing supply that ran fom Frongoch Pool (nprn 32235) via the subsidiary Blaen Pentre Pool; diverting the existing flow from Ty'n-y-bwlch Pool to Blaen Pentre into this new leat via a new aqueduct by-passing Blaen Pentre; changing the direction of flow of the leat from Pond Rhos-rhydd to Frongoch mine in order to carry the combined supply, by-passing Pond Rhos-rhydd on another new aqueduct and finally feeding a new reservoir, 'New Pond' built some 400m north of the power house and 130m above it. This reservoir was capable of storing and producing the maximum power required for Pont Ceunant and was brought from the reservoir to the station via a series of steel pipes of increasing resistence.

The reservoir measured approximately 90m east - west by 120m; it is currently derelict but earth banks which formed the south and east sides can still be seen.

B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 07 January 2008.
Louise Barker, RCAHMW, January 2013.