SSEN Transmission has submitted a planning application to The Highland Council for a proposed substation and converter station project.
The Fanellan project is a proposed 400kV substation and convertor station, set to be located southwest of the town of Beauly. The project will involve the construction of a new 400kV Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) Alternating Current (AC) substation and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter station.
The site will connect to the existing Beauly to Denny 400kV overhead line as well as the proposed Spittal – Loch Buidhe – Beauly and Beauly – Blackhillock – New Deer – Peterhead 400kV overhead lines and the Western Isles HVDC connection.
According to SSEN Transmission, the location for the development was chosen both as it has the required space to site both parts of the project and thus limits the need for additional infrastructure, but also because the surrounding landscape provides visual screening for the nearby area.
The submission of this planning application marks the end of a three-year development and consultation process by SSEN Transmission. As part of developing the planning application, a number of public events were held to allow locals to feedback on the proposals, as well as several meetings with residents living nearest the proposed site.
Ross McKay, senior development project manager said: “The proposed Fanellan 400kV AC substation and HVDC converter station is a key component of our proposals to upgrade the transmission network in support of the delivery of 2030 offshore wind generation targets set by the UK and Scottish governments.
“The National Energy Systems Operator carried out extensive studies which identified the need for this project, and in developing our proposals we have sought to achieve the best balance from an environmental and technical perspective while consulting extensively with the local community.
“Investing to upgrade our electricity transmission network is crucial if we are to achieve the country’s energy security and clean power objectives, and it’s also a major driver of jobs and economic activity locally and across the north of Scotland.”
SSEN Transmission’s bold grid upgrade plans
This planning application submission follows the announcement of a major investment from SSEN Transmission to upgrade the UK’s grid infrastructure.
In December of last year, the company revealed plans to invest over £22 billion in the nation’s aging grid infrastructure to provide the needed upgrades to meet UK clean energy targets by 2030.
