SSE has begun construction on its 208MW Strathy South wind farm in the Scottish Highlands.
The £400 million onshore wind farm, located in Sutherland near SSE’s existing Strathy North project, will comprise 35 Vestas V162-6.2MW turbines and is expected to enter commercial operation in late 2027.
The wind farm was fully contracted in Allocation Round 5 (AR5) of the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power around 200,000 British homes annually.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “It is great to see this latest milestone from SSE which is harnessing natural, renewable resources to power British homes and businesses and investing in the Highlands of Scotland.
“Delivering more onshore wind across the country is at the heart of our mission to becoming a clean energy superpower, creating highly skilled jobs, kickstarting growth and protecting households from future fossil fuel price shocks.”
SSE is delivering the project as part of its Net Zero Acceleration Programme (NZAP) Plus, which sets out a five-year investment plan in homegrown energy to bolster UK energy security.
Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, said: “The construction of our 208MW Strathy South Wind Farm puts SSE’s commitment to support the UK as its clean energy champion into action.
“By harnessing our natural resources in Scotland’s northern Highlands, we will be able to generate enough renewable energy when Strathy South enters operation in 2027 to power around 200,000 British homes annually and so help achieve the country’s clean power goal.
“We’re committed to delivering the clean power projects the UK needs now, whether through the delivery of our Berwick Bank offshore wind project or through new onshore wind farms such as Strathy South.”
Construction is being led by RJ McLeod, one of Scotland’s largest privately owned civil engineering and building contractors. Up to 125 full-time jobs are expected to be supported at peak construction.
Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery at SSE Renewables, said: “We are delighted to have started construction on Strathy South Wind Farm, which is another key project in our onshore portfolio and will see significant investment by SSE in the Scottish Highlands.
“As we look to develop a clean, homegrown secure energy system the scale and impact of onshore wind projects like Strathy South cannot be underestimated. It is also great to once again be working with local company RJ McLeod, our principal contractor.”
Colin Maclean, Director at RJ McLeod’s North Office, said: “We’ve jointly delivered fifteen onshore wind projects with SSE Renewables, such as the recent Viking on Shetland and the previous Strathy North, and we’re delighted to be working together again on this important energy asset.”
Danish firm Vestas will supply, install and commission the turbines. The project’s delivery supports the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan and aligns with Scotland’s target of achieving 20GW of onshore wind by 2030.
Scottish Government consent for the project was granted in 2021, capping a near 20-year development journey.
Initial plans for a 77-turbine wind farm were submitted in 2007. A revised 39-turbine plan was put forward in 2014 following environmental assessments. Consent was granted in 2018, but the project faced delays after the closure of the Renewables Obligation Certificate scheme.
A final 35-turbine design was submitted in 2020 and approved in 2021.
SSE said the wind farm will provide significant benefits to the local economy through job creation and supply chain opportunities while contributing to long-term energy resilience and decarbonisation.