SSEN Transmission has submitted a planning application for a 570-acre substation hub near Peterhead.
The farmland site around 5 miles to the west of the BlueToon will support a 400 kV substation, a 132 kV substation and two high-voltage converter stations. One will connect the proposed 2 GW 525 kV HVDC link to Spittal, Caithness and the other will enable the proposed 2 GW link likely to be to South Humber, England.
A number of buildings, including a transmission hall that could be up to 100-ft high, are also planned for the site.
© Supplied by SSEN TransmissionSSEN, which operates the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland, said the Netherton Hub is a “crucial component” of its £20 billion ‘Pathway to 2030’ investment programme.
The location of the substation hub, which has been in development for two years, was whittled down from a possible 13 in the area.
There are residential properties located within the site and SSEN is in the process of negotiating the acquisition of these properties.
The site is also well located in terms of its proximity to existing and proposed infrastructure, including the planned 3MW MarramWind floating offshore wind farm, as well as transport routes.
Community feedback has fed into the design of the hub. Concerns around potential issues with flooding, and the hub’s visual impact, were expressed throughout the consultation process – with local insight helping to shape the plans that aim to mitigate against those concerns, and a significant portion of land on the site allocated for drainage, screening, bunding and landscaping.
David Inge, SSEN Transmission’s offshore development portfolio manager and Netherton Hub lead, said: “After a lot of hard work from the project team, in consultation with communities and other key stakeholders, we are delighted to have reached the point of submitting our planning application to Aberdeenshire Council, seeking approval for the Netherton Hub.
“The proposed development forms a critical part of our £20bn investment programme to upgrade the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland, supporting thousands of jobs and providing an economic boost to the country, all whilst helping to deliver Scotland and the UK’s energy security and clean power targets.
“We would like to thank the local community and wider stakeholders for their constructive engagement with our teams to help inform the development of the Netherton Hub.
“We now look forward to working with Aberdeenshire Council to progress a world leading energy hub that will be critical to delivering a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system for future generations and will provide a significant boost to local and national economies.”
