Peterhead Substation team help clear four tonnes of rubbish from Rattray Beach
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Project team members working on the development of a new electricity substation in Peterhead swapped their usual tools for litter-picks earlier this month in a bid to help clear-up a popular local beauty spot.
A team of 12 from across SSEN Transmission, Balfour Beatty and Hitachi Energy joined a group of volunteers from East Grampian Coastal Partnership (EGCP) to help clean-up Rattray Beach, north of Peterhead, and help keep the picturesque seaside setting litter-free.
Over the course of a single day, the team cleared away around four tonnes of litter – including removing washed-up tyres, creels, ropes and nets from the sandy shores.
Between them they walked and litter-picked throughout the day, with the team taken aback by the amount of rubbish they found, requiring the help of a telehandler to collect it all.
The team aren’t just stopping there however, and they have already decided to return later in the year with more heavy lifting equipment to carry out another beach clean.
The beach-clean was organised to help give back to the local community, after the Peterhead project team were keen to support an environmental initiative in the area.
The team had liaised with representatives from the East Grampian Coastal Partnership to support their Turning The Plastic Tides Campaign and sought their advice before setting to work.
SSEN Transmission project manager Russell Maxwell said: “As guests in the area, it is really important to us that we try and have a positive impact on the community, so are always looking for ways we can support.
"Working with our contractors Balfour Beatty and Hitachi Energy, we were keen to find a way of supporting the environment, so thought setting to work on clearing the picturesque Rattray Beach of litter would be a positive contribution from the team.
“Although it’s sad to see how much litter the teams had to clear, I think everyone involved found the experience rewarding and a noticeable improvement in the area.
"We look forward to continuing to support the community as the project progresses.”
The new Peterhead 400kV substation is being constructed on the north east coast, and once complete, will form part of SSEN Transmission’s reinforcement of the Eastern network ensuring the continued safe supply of power to the north of Scotland.
On completion, the substation will facilitate the connection of new renewable generation to the grid, supporting the country’s transition to net zero emissions.
