Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has announced a number of milestones in securing a supply chain capable of delivering the Scottish government’s 2030 targets.
The company has selected Hitachi Energy as ‘preferred bidder’ for Western Isles and Spittal-Peterhead HVDC Converter Systems, and NKT as ‘preferred bidder’ for Western Isles and Spittal-Peterhead HVDC Cables.
Sumitomo Electric and its offshore installation partner Van Oord Offshore Wind UK have also joined SSEN Transmission’s Framework of Contractors for future HVDC Cables, alongside NKT.
SSEN said the announcement marks a “critical milestone in the development of these essential projects.” The two HVDC links are part of upgrades to the electricity grid that are needed to meet the UK and Scottish government’s 2030 renewable energy and emissions targets.
Sumitomo Electric – a Japanese company who have previously announced plans to invest in UK offshore wind, and to create an undersea cable factory in Scotland – has also been chosen as an authorised contractor to deliver future subsea cable projects for SSEN, along with their partner, Van Oord Offshore Wind UK.
SSEN said it would release more detail on these projects later in the year, when National Grid ESO sets out the additional electricity transmission infrastructure required for the 28GW ScotWind project. Current 2030 network development plans will enable 11GW of ScotWind’s potential.
SSEN said all its new commercial partners scored high in plans to deliver more local jobs and growth for local communities near the infrastructure.
Rob McDonald, managing director of SSEN Transmission, said: “Reaching preferred bidder status for the Western Isles and Spittal-Peterhead HVDC cables and converter systems is a hugely important step to support the timely delivery of these projects, particularly given global supply chain constraints in HVDC technology, and is testament to our targeted procurement strategy which prioritised securing these key components at the earliest opportunity.”
Claes Westerlind, NKT President and CEO, said:“We are very excited to be selected as the preferred bidder by SSEN Transmission for these two Scottish HVDC transmission links. This appointment is an opportunity to further strengthen the excellent collaboration that has been cultivated between the parties with the Caithness-Moray HVDC Link, and the ongoing Shetland HVDC Link”.
Yasuyuki Shibata, managing executive officer of Sumitomo Electric, said: “We look forward to continuing contract negotiations with SSEN Transmission in the coming months and working together to develop a potential future project allocation strategy.”
SSEN said contract negotiations would continue, with the aim of entering into Capacity Reservation Agreements and then reaching ‘Contract Award’ status later this year.
