SSEN Transmission has submitted a
planning application to Aberdeenshire Council for the Greens 400kV substation
project, near New Deer.
The project is
a key element of the transmission operator’s proposed Beauly to Peterhead 400kV
overhead line (OHL) connection, and will help deliver high voltage, clean
renewable power for connection to homes and businesses across the UK – helping
meet Scotland and the UK’s net zero and energy security ambitions.
The project
will involve construction of a new outdoor 400kV Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS)
substation located east of Turriff and south of Cuminestown – from where it
will connect to the Beauly to Peterhead 400kV OHL, and to the existing New Deer
substation via underground cable.
The substation
site was identified as the best from an environmental and technical perspective
– including in terms of access routes and its connectivity to existing and
proposed OHL infrastructure.
A series of
pre-application consultation events gave members of the public the opportunity
to help shape the substation proposals. These include landscape and screening
measures to reduce visual impact, a detailed plan for construction traffic that
seeks to minimise impact on the local road network, and proposals for
Biodiversity Net Gain.
Cath Swan, senior development project manager from SSEN Transmission, said: “The Greens
substation is a key component of our proposals for a new 400kV overhead line
between Beauly and Peterhead, supporting the delivery of 2030 offshore wind
generation targets set by the UK and Scottish governments.
“Investing to
upgrade our electricity transmission network is crucial if we are to achieve
the country’s energy security and clean power objectives, and it’s also a major
driver of jobs and economic activity locally and across the north of Scotland.
“In developing
our proposals, we have sought to achieve the best balance from an environmental
and technical perspective taking account of the views of the local community
with whom we have consulted extensively.
“We would like
to thank all those who provided feedback as part of our pre-application
consultation events which have been key in helping shape our proposals. We now
look forward to working with Aberdeenshire Council and stakeholders as part of
the planning submission process.”
More information on the Greens 400Kv
substation project is available on the project webpage Greens 400kV
Substation - SSEN Transmission.
Click here
to access the planning application on the Aberdeenshire Council website