Caithness Converter Station Volume 1: Environmental Statement
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Formatting etc to sort Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Volume 1: Environmental Statement June 2011 This Environmental Statement was completed for: Scottish and Southern Energy This Environmental Statement was completed by: Aquatera Ltd Stromness Business Centre Stromness Orkney KW16 3AW Revision record Revision Number Issue Date Revision Details Rev 0.0 8th June 2011 Final issue Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Non-technical Summary June 2011 Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Environmental Statement Introduction Background This document is the Non-technical Summary of the Environmental Statement for the Caithness Converter Station. This facility is proposed by Scottish and Southern Energy‟s (SSE‟s)1 transmission business Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL)2. The converter station3 will transform high voltage electricity from alternating current (AC)4 to direct current (DC)5. These upgrades are needed to meet the demand for new electricity connection from various proposed renewable energy projects in the area. The detailed findings of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, including detailed information about the project and planned mitigation commitments, are presented in the main Environmental Statement. The proposed project This converter station is part of a wider electricity transmission upgrade in the north of Scotland and the Northern Isles which includes: an onshore high voltage direct current (HVDC)6 buried cable from the converter station to the coast; a directionally drilled7 landfall at the coast, north of Wick; a subsea HVDC cable from the coast to the outer Moray Firth; where it connects to the Moray Firth, HVDC Hub platform8, to act as the offshore connection point for various planned subsea cables (see Figure 2). Future electricity flow into the converter station site could come from a variety of possible connections. All these proposals would be subject to separate, individual consent processes. The site selection process has taken into account the potential for future grid connections to the facility. The proposed site The proposed site for the converter station is at Spittal Mains Farm (National Grid Reference ND 153 554), approximately 2 kilometres (km) north of Spittal, 5km south from Halkirk and 13km south of Thurso. The site sits in the valley of the Achanarras Burn, some 500 metres (m) from the A9 trunk road (T). The project will involve construction of a permanent central engineered platform of approximately 6.5ha, which will house a large converter station building along with high voltage substation equipment. There is an additional 7ha core development area surrounding the platform that contains landscaping, drainage and tree planting, and some 6ha north of the platform that contains an existing conifer shelterbelt and an area designated for new shelterbelt planting (see Figure 1). 1 SSE is the second largest energy generator in the UK as well as the second largest energy supplier in the UK. 2 Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited (SHETL) owns and maintains the 132kV and 275kV electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland. SHETL is owned by Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution, which is a trading name of SSE Power Distribution Limited. 3 The converter station is a large metal-clad building containing the high voltage equipment for controlling the HVDC circuit. 4 In alternating current the movement of electric charge constantly reverses direction at 50 cycles per second. 5 In direct current the flow of electric charge is only in one direction. 6 A high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission system uses direct current for the bulk transmission of electrical power, in contrast with the more common alternating current (AC) systems. For long-distance point to point transmission or networks with limited interconnection, HVDC systems are less expensive and suffer lower electrical losses than AC. 7 Directional drilling is a method of drilling through rock at an angle used in this case to create a suitable cable landfall in an area too steep for trench cutting methods. 8 The offshore hub platform is a steel platform - similar to an offshore oil platform - for housing the hub switching gear apparatus. Non-technical Summary i Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Environmental Statement Approach to the EIA Environmental impact assessment (EIA) SHETL is submitting a planning application to The Highland Council under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 19979 as amended by the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006. The proposals require a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) to be completed under the provisions of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 because of the scale of the proposals and potential for significant effects. As part of the EIA process, The Highland Council, other statutory consultees (Historic Scotland, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)), local landowners, local communities and other interest groups/organisations have been consulted. The views and information gathered from these consultations have been used to help shape the proposed project and ensure that wherever possible, adverse effects on people, the natural environment and cultural heritage have been avoided or reduced, and where possible benefits have been delivered. During the EIA process, assumptions have had to be made about the design, construction and mitigation measures in order to allow the assessment to progress. If any changes to these project assumptions and commitments are made that could result in effects greater than those described in the Environmental Statement, then additional intervention measures will be considered and, if necessary, an addendum will be published for public consultation and comment and further consideration by The Highland Council. Pre-application consultation (PAC) The project is defined as a major project under the Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developments) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. Therefore, pre-application consultation (PAC) between the developer and the local community has been carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations. The PAC procedures were agreed with The Highland Council. They included public exhibitions in Halkirk, on 15th September and Watten, on 16th September 2010, as well as informing Halkirk and Watten Community Councils. Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA)10 Information has also been collated as part of the EIA to inform the appraisal11 by The Highland Council of the likely significant effects of the converter station on sites of European nature conservation value to meet the requirements of the Habitat Regulations12. The sites and qualifying interests which have been considered are salmon in the River Thurso Special Area of Conservation (SAC)13, otter from the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC and wintering wildfowl for the Caithness Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA)14 sites. 9 The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 is the main legislation governing the planning system in Scotland. 10 The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 place a statutory duty on the competent authority, in this case The Highland Council, to consider the likely significant effects of the project on sites designated for their nature conservation interest. 11 An appraisal under the Habitats Regulations is completed by the Competent Authority and comprises an Appropriate Assessment which is an evaluation of possible impacts affecting the integrity of European sites. 12 The Habitats Regulations enact the requirements of the Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna (the Habitats Directive). 13 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are strictly protected sites designated under the Habitats and Species Directive (92/43/EEC) (the Habitats Directive). The listed habitat types and species are those considered to be most in need of conservation at a European level (excluding birds). 14 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are strictly protected sites classified in accordance with Article 4 of the EC Directive on t he conservation of wild birds 79/409/EEC, the Birds Directive. They are classified for rare and vulnerable birds, listed in Annex I to the Birds Directive, and for regularly occurring migratory species. Non-technical Summary ii Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Environmental Statement Figure 1 The proposed site for the Caithness Converter Station Non-technical Summary iii Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Environmental Statement Figure 2 Overview of the Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Non-technical Summary iv Moray Firth Hub & Caithness HVDC Connection Caithness Converter Station Environmental Statement The conclusions of the assessment are that although some possible connections between the proposed project and the qualifying interests of the site were identified, there will be no impacts arising that will affect the integrity of the sites, their qualifying species or the associated conservation objectives for each site. Project design process and comparison of alternatives Project need SHETL has developed reinforcement proposals for the Caithness area which includes an HVDC