Peterhead to Beauly power line route changes unveiled
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Following SSEN Transmission's publication of the Reports on Consultations for the proposed new 400kV overhead line between Beauly, Blackhillock, New Deer and Peterhead, several changes have been noted after the first round of feed-back.
The new line includes four new substations along its route, and new HVDC Converter Stations at both Beauly and Peterhead.
This project is part of a wider upgrade of the electricity transmission network across Great Britain that is required to deliver UK and Scottish Government energy security and climate change targets.
The Reports on Consultations provides a summary of the extensive feedback received, how this has been considered and confirmation of which routes and proposed substation sites are now being taken forward to the next stage of development.
Changes include-
At Blackhillock in Moray, the proposed new substation site is moving from that consulted on earlier this year to the east of Keith, to one of the other shortlisted sites to the south-east of the existing Blackhillock substation, which now falls just over the local authority boundary in Aberdeenshire Council. This follows extensive local feedback and concerns around the impact of the initial site on Keith, including future development opportunities in the area which includes a potential new health centre.
Key sections of previously consulted on routes have been widened in places to reduce community impacts and present the opportunity to follow existing overhead electricity transmission infrastructure, where possible. This includes the proposed overhead line route as it passes the villages of Maud and Stuartfield.
All other route options and the proposed locations for Beauly, New Deer and Peterhead substations are being progressed in line with those options presented as ‘preferred’ when consulted on earlier this year.
In further recognition of community feedback, SSEN Transmission will seek to rationalise cumulative infrastructure impacts through the removal and undergrounding of existing transmission lines, where technically practical and appropriate, and subject to all necessary planning consents and landowner agreements.
Work to identify and assess potential sections of existing overhead line where their removal will reduce cumulative impacts is ongoing, with an update expected as part of the next round of public consultation on overhead line alignments and more detailed substation designs in early 2024.
Commenting on the publication of the Report on Consultation, Catherine Swan, Senior Development Project Manager, said: “We would once again like to thank all those stakeholders who took the time to constructively respond to our consultation, with this feedback instrumental in informing the changes to our proposals we are announcing today.
“The overhead line routes we are now taking forward to route alignment and our proposed substation locations seek to balance environmental and technical constraints alongside minimising community impacts.
“Following extensive, constructive engagement with the local community, we are pleased to confirm that we are moving the proposed new substation at Blackhillock near Keith, which will significantly reduce impacts on Keith and the wider community.
"In response to feedback, we have also widened our proposed routes in key sections to help minimise local impacts and present the opportunity to follow existing infrastructure routes where possible.
The reports for the Beauly to Blackhillock to New Deer to Peterhead 400kV project are available to read in full and are available on the relevant dedicated project webpages, which can be accessed via the links below.
Beauly to Blackhillock to New Deer to Peterhead 400kV overhead line
New Blackhillock 400kV substation
New Beauly Area 400kV substation
