Consultation over new Arnish substation for subsea cable

SSEN Transmission is inviting members of the public to a new public exhibition event in Stornoway later this month to learn more about proposals to build a new high voltage convertor station and 132kV substation at Arnish on Lewis.

The proposed construction of buildings at Arnish would be the land-based point for electricity generated by island turbines to be sent via the planned 600MW interconnector under the Minch to Dundonell, near Ullapool, where it would connect to the national grid.

Progression of the project, which currently has an energisation date of March 2027, remains subject to developer commitment and Ofgem approval.

The Western Isles is home to some of Scotland’s greatest wind resource and following the growth in small-scale renewable electricity generation, the existing Western Isles electricity network is at full capacity meaning no further generation can connect without significant network reinforcements.

SSEN Transmission is proposing to construct a 600MW High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable link under the Minch from Arnish to Dundonnell on the mainland, before continuing underground to a new converter station on the mainland and subsequently connecting to the existing grid transmission system.

The link will be designed to transmit power in both directions and is key to enabling the connection and export of renewable electricity to the transmission network.

The public exhibition later this month is an opportunity to find out further details about the project and for members of the public to share their views on the proposals for the new development at Arnish.

Comments made to SSEN at the exhibition are not representations to the planning authority. People can lodge formal representations to the council planners when a planning application for the Arnish infrastructure is later submitted to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

The in-person exhibition will take place at Caberfeidh Hotel in Stornoway on Tuesday 21 June, between 3pm and 7pm, and will be hosted by the SSEN Transmission project team. The event is an open-door drop-in session for anyone interested in learning more about the project.

SSEN Transmission project manager David Williams said: “The public exhibition is a chance for the local community and wider stakeholders to share their views on our proposals to build a new substation development at Arnish, which will play a key role in the proposed Western Isles subsea HVDC link.

“We are committed to working with the local community as we continue to develop our proposals and we would encourage anyone who is interested in finding out more about our plans to drop in to our public exhibition in Stornoway to learn more.”

To find out more about the project visit: www.ssen-transmission.co.uk

Consultation over new onshore infrastructure for Minch subsea cable

8 June 2022

The subsea cable is expected to run from this shore at Arnish to the mainland

The substation would be built at Arnish Point