SSE Renewables ‘devastated’ after death of worker at Shetland wind farm construction site

Investigations are ongoing after an accident on an onshore wind farm construction site in Shetland that resulted in the death of a worker.

Emergency services received reports of an injury at the Kergord converter station near Lerwick at around at 10.15am on Sunday, June 5.

Police, ambulance and coastguard rushed to the construction site but the 23-year-old died at the scene.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers received a report of a 23-year-old man having been injured on a construction site in the Upper Kergord area of Shetland, around 10.15am on Sunday, 5 June, 2022.

“Emergency services attended, however, the man died at the scene.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and the Health and Safety Executive will be informed in due course.”

© Supplied by SSE Renewables

A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said: “HSE has been made aware of the incident and is helping police with their enquiries”

Kergord

The Kergord HVDC converter station is being built by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

Contractor BAM Nuttall was awarded a contract by SSEN to lead the civil engineering works at the site in 2020.

A spokesperson for BAM Nuttall said: “We can confirm an incident at our Viking Windfarm project site on Shetland yesterday has resulted in the tragic death of a colleague.

“Our condolences are with their family, and support is being made available to them and to members of the team. An investigation is underway and we’re working closely with our client and the relevant authorities.”

Kergord is a key component of SSE Renewables’ controversial Viking wind farm, which is being built nearby.

© Allister Thomas

It will receive green energy from the 103-turbine development and feed it into the national grid via a 160 mile, 600 megawatt (MW) subsea HVDC cable.

Viking is on course to be the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, covering an area of about 17,000 acres around central Shetland.

‘Devastated’

SSE Renewables head of onshore projects, Derek Hastings said: “We are devastated by yesterday’s news and our thoughts and condolences are with the family, friends, and colleagues of the young man who tragically died.

“We are working closely with BAM Nuttall and the relevant authorities to understand what happened.”