People on Lewis are being invited to attend a second consultation event being held to discuss a proposed new HVDC convertor station and AC substation on Arnish Moor.
SSEN Transmission will hold the statutory pre-application consultation event at the
Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway from 3-7pm on Thursday 14 November, where their staff
will be on hand to answer questions and share details of the proposed site location
and layout.
Information about connections into the proposed site will also be available, as well as visualisations including landscaping measures designed to minimise visual impact.
The proposed 400kV substation and converter station – known as the Lewis Hub – is an essential part of the proposed Western Isles HVDC link which will allow 1.8GW of new renewable electricity generation to connect to the electricity transmission network.
The project will play a critical role in improving network reliability and security of supply for homes and businesses across the Western Isles, delivering significant economic benefit through the local supply chain while supporting national net zero and energy security ambitions.
Colin Bell, Lead Project Manager for SSEN Transmission, said: “There has been a strong
level of interest and engagement in our proposals, and our second pre-application
consultation will give the public another opportunity to have their say prior to
the submission of our formal planning application early next year.
“We have already made significant changes to the project based on community feedback, most notably relocating from our original preferred site at Creed North to Arnish Moor.
“We continue to refine the project in line with community feedback, including measures that have reduced the size of the substation platform from its original design, and landscaping proposals to reduce the visual impact of the site.
“We are also working closely with our contract partners, external stakeholders, local businesses and community groups to ensure our project plans during the proposed construction and operation of the site doesn’t put undue pressure on local services and other sectors including local housing provision, transport and logistics.
“This demonstrates the value of our consultation with the local community, which is an important part of our project development process. We encourage anyone with an interest in our proposals to come along to our event on November 14th and provide their feedback.”
To submit feedback online and register for project updates, visit the project website
www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/western-isles
Once complete, the proposed Western Isles HVDC Link will allow 1.8GW of new renewable electricity generation to connect to the electricity transmission network, helping to facilitate the transition to net zero emissions.
The project is part of SSEN Transmission’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) programme, which feeds into a wider £20bn package of work to upgrade the north of Scotland transmission network, known as the Pathway to 2030 programme.
The Western Isles HVDC Link will involve creating a new HVDC converter station and AC substation on Arnish Moor near Stornoway, with around 81km of HVDC subsea cable between Lewis and Dundonnell on the Scottish mainland, followed by around 80km of onshore underground HVDC cable to a HVDC Converter station near Beauly.
Project teams anticipate the Western Isles HVDC Link will be completed by 2030.
Updated plans for proposed Arnish Moor electricity station linking Lewis windfarms to Minch cable
6 November 2024
