SSEN Transmission has submitted a planning application to Aberdeenshire Council for a strategic development that will upgrade the electricity network in the north of Scotland to support decarbonisation.
After an initial 13 potential sites were considered, the ‘Netherton Hub’ site (named to reflect the area’s farming history), near Peterhead, was chosen as it presented the best option in terms of its ability to host the proposed infrastructure, whilst exhibiting fewer environmental constraints and offering greater potential for biodiversity net gain.
Once complete, the site will include a 400kV substation to support offshore and onshore electricity generation, a 132kV substation to support further future generation and storage connections from third party developers and an HVDC converter station to support the transmission of renewable energy from new generators in the north of Scotland to demand centres throughout the UK.
It was also include an Eastern Green Link 3 HVDC converter station to support the transmission of renewable energy from generators in the north of Scotland to Norfolk and beyond, a further transmission hall, with capacity for more infrastructure to future proof the growing network and a spares warehouse and operations base.
The site is also well located in terms of its proximity to existing and proposed infrastructure, as well as transport routes.
The Netherton Hub is a crucial component of SSEN Transmission’s £20bn ‘Pathway to 2030′ investment programme in the north of Scotland, and its planning application submission follows two years of development and extensive engagement on the project’s design with local community members and other stakeholders, including four face-to-face consultation rounds with over 400 attendees and more than 100 formal responses to proposals.
SSEN Transmission’s ‘Pathway to 2030′ investment programme in the north of Scotland’s transmission network is one of the biggest investments undertaken in the region for decades and is set to support 20,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, around 9000 of which will be north of the border.
This new hub, near Longside, to the west of Peterhead, is a key element of that investment programme and will provide significant economic opportunities for local people and local businesses.
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: “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.”