SSEN Transmission has energised an extension to the Abernethy substation which will facilitate the connection of up to 50MW of renewable energy to the local electricity distribution network.
The extension was required to the existing 132 kV substation at Abernethy to enable an increase in electricity capacity, which will allow for the future connection and onward transportation of clean renewable energy generated in the area.
Delivered by principal contractor Freedom Group, the project involved the installation of new electrical components including busbar and 132 kV outdoor switchgear to enable the increase in energy, along with an expansion of the substation footprint into the field immediately north of the existing substation to make way for the new electrical equipment and upgrades to the infrastructure.
This included the successful installation of two new 120 MVA transformer units, each weighing around 100 tonnes, which arrived on site after a long journey from manufacturer SGB in Germany.
The substation extension has also used two new 132kV SF6-free circuit breakers as part of the development, which use an environmentally friendly technology to help insulate the equipment.
Now that the new equipment has been successfully energised, the previous equipment has been removed and recycled, with some parts stored as back up components for use elsewhere on the network.