Buchan Offshore Wind has submitted an onshore planning application to Aberdeenshire Council for the electrical infrastructure needed to connect its floating wind project to the UK grid.
The multi-billion-pound development is located around 75km northeast of Fraserburgh and will deliver close to 1GW of capacity when operational in 2033.
Buchan Offshore Wind said construction later this decade is expected to unlock major investment in Scottish ports and create long-term jobs across Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.
The onshore works will connect the project to the transmission network at Peterhead substation, including a cable landfall at Rattray Head and a 20km underground route to a new substation near the existing site.
Project director Clare Lavelle (pictured) said the onshore connection is a vital component of the project and will enable clean power generation for about one million homes.
She said the cables will be installed underground, with land reinstated once works are complete.
Lavelle added that detailed assessments have been undertaken to minimise environmental impact and reflect feedback gathered from local communities during three years of consultation events across the region.
The project is expected to drive more than £900m of investment into Scotland’s manufacturing and supply chain sectors, creating up to 2,900 jobs during construction and about 300 during operation.
Buchan Offshore Wind has identified BW Ideol’s patented Damping Pool floating substructure as its preferred foundation concept, supporting plans for a manufacturing centre at the Ardersier Energy Transition Facility on the Moray Firth.
The development also presents opportunities for ports and harbours across northeast Scotland to play key roles during construction and long-term operations.
Earlier this year, the project submitted its offshore consent application to Scottish Ministers.
Lavelle said securing both offshore and onshore consents will be critical to unlocking the inward investment and supply chain growth the project can deliver.
She encouraged local residents to view and comment on the application, which is available through Aberdeenshire Council’s planning portal and the project’s website.