SSEN Transmission is inviting members of the public to share their views on the next phase of development for two infrastructure projects in the north east of Scotland.
The projects will help enable the connection of renewable energy from across the north of Scotland.
Views are being sought at nine events across the north east of Scotland on potential route options for a new overhead line between Beauly and Peterhead as well as for the site selection for new infrastructure in Peterhead, known as the Peterhead Net Zero 2030 Developments.
The Peterhead to Beauly overhead line project will help connect onshore and offshore renewable power and transport it from source to areas of demand across the country.
The draft route options, which also include the connection to new proposed substations along its route at Blackhillock near Keith and New Deer, have been determined following feedback received during the first round of consultation events last year, coupled with detailed assessments and studies.
SSEN Transmission is now looking for feedback on these draft route options which will inform more detailed alignments for the new overhead electricity transmission line.
Since the first round of consultation took place in autumn 2022, which saw over 360 people attend eight roadshow events about the project, engineers have worked to narrow down the route corridor options and refine them into more defined routes.
These draft route options range from 200 metres to 1 km in width, depending on the nature and extent of constraints of the area in question.
Following constructive feedback from the previous consultation, the proposed 190 km overhead line from Peterhead to Beauly has been redivided from five sections to 11 sections, allowing stakeholders to share feedback on specific areas they are interested in.
As part of the GB wider programme of reinforcements required to deliver Government 2030 targets, Peterhead is set to become a critical node on the transmission system, collecting huge volumes of renewable energy, particularly offshore wind, and transporting that power to demand centres across the country.
A new HVDC link from Spittal in Caithness to Peterhead is required, alongside a second HVDC link between Peterhead and demand centres in England in the South Humber region.
As part of these HVDC links and the onshore connection from Beauly to Peterhead, there is a requirement for two HVDC Convertor Stations, two substations and a switching station which will support future offshore wind connections.
These reinforcements are separate to advanced plans to build the first subsea HVDC subsea superhighway from Peterhead to Drax in Yorkshire, which remains on track for energisation in 2029 with early construction works expected to begin later this year.