Caithness HVDC Switching Station Pre Application Consultation Event August 2016
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Caithness HVDC Switching Station Pre Application Consultation Event August 2016 Introduction Who we are Purpose of this public consultation SHE Transmission are proposing to submit a planning application for our proposed Development of a High Voltage Direct Current Switching Station in Caithness. As part of a suite of consultations to date, this consultation Other SSE is intended to inform members of the public of the proposal Businesses and allow for feedback and comment on these proposals prior to finalising details for our planning application. Scottish Hydro Electric Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Plc Power Distribution Plc What is the difference between (SHE Transmission) (SHEPD) Transmission and Distribution? Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Electricity Transmission is the transportation of electricity (SHE Transmission) is part of the SSE from generating plants to where it is required at centres of demand. group and owns and maintains the high The Electricity Transmission network, or grid, transports voltage electricity network that serves electricity at very high voltages through overhead wires, the north of Scotland. underground cables and subsea cables. The transmission network connects large scale generation, primarily In total we maintain about 5,000km of overhead lines and renewables, to central and southern Scotland and underground cables – easily enough to stretch across the the rest of Great Britain. Atlantic from John O’Groats all the way to Boston in the USA. The Electricity Distribution network is connected into Our network crosses some of the UK’s most challenging the Transmission network but the voltage is lowered terrain including circuits that are buried under the seabed, by transformers at electricity substations, and the power are located over 750m above sea level and up to 250km long. is then distributed to homes and businesses through The landscape and environment that contribute to the overhead linesOverview or underground of cables. challenges we face also give the area a rich resource for Transmission projects Shetland renewable energy generation. There is a high demand to connect from new wind, hydro and marine generators Existing infrastructure Overview of TransmissionCompleted projects Under construction Orkney which rely on SHE Transmission to provide a physical link Potential development Advanced planning between the new sources of power and electricity users. Gills Bay SHE Transmission is delivering a major programme Dounreay Spittal of investment to ensure that the network is ready to Mybster meet the needs of our customers in the future. Lairg Western Isles Loch Buidhe (Bonar Bridge) Our responsibilities Mossford Moray Firth Blackhillock Beauly Knocknagael Overview of Skye Peterhead As we are the only company that owns an electricity Tomatin Kintore Fort Augustus transmission network in the north of Scotland we are Aberdeen Shetland closely regulated by the energy regulator Ofgem. We are Transmission projects issued with a licence to operate and we must adhere to Fort William Dalmally Existing infrastructure the terms of the licence. For this reason we operate on Existing infrastructure Perth a very separate basis to other SSE businesses. Completed Under construction Under construction Kincardine Orkney Our licence stipulates that we must develop and maintain Potential development development Denny Advanced planning planning an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of Kintyre Hunterston electricity transmission. Arran Gills Bay Dounreay Spittal Mybster Lairg Western Isles Loch Buidhe (Bonar Bridge) Mossford Moray Firth Blackhillock Beauly Knocknagael Skye Peterhead Tomatin Kintore Fort Augustus Aberdeen Fort William Dalmally Perth Kincardine Denny Kintyre Hunterston Arran Project Overview Scottish Hydro Electric (SHE) Transmission A key element of the project requires the development is required to develop proposals for a new and construction of a HVDC Switching Station which would electrical connection which will link Shetland connect the Shetland HVDC cable with a HVDC cable presently being constructed between Caithness and Moray. to the Scottish mainland for the first time. The Switching Station requires to be located close to the Viking Wind Farm, located on Shetland, has contracted HVDC marine cable landfall site, at Noss Head. Given the with National Grid plc to connect to the transmission coastal environment, all the switching station equipment network by 2021. As Shetland is not currently connected will require to be housed in a building. All connections to the National Grid, construction of a new subsea cable to the building will be via underground cable, no new is required. SHE Transmission has proposed that a High overhead lines are required as part of this development. Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) marine cable will run from The Switching Station will become a strategic point in Weisdale Voe in Shetland to Noss Head in Caithness. the HVDC network and will allow the flow of power to The Shetland HVDC circuit would be used primarily to be switched between different cables, or circuits. The transport large volumes of energy to Caithness and onwards proposed Switching Station at Noss Head will connect to the Blackhillock Substation in Moray, it could also be used three HVDC circuits including: one underground HVDC to improve electrical resilience for Shetland. The Blackhillock circuit connecting to Spittal in Caithness, one mainly Substation, near Keith, has a HVDC Converter Station which subsea circuit connecting to Shetland and one mainly can change energy from DC to AC for onward transmission subsea circuit connecting to Moray. The project team via the existing transmission network. have also designed space for any future HVDC connections. The chart below shows the main stages of the The development process development process and the opportunities there will be for local people and others to give feedback as site selection, design and environmental work progresses. All dates are indicative at this early stage. Search to identify multiple potential sites and carry out preliminary assessments Spring–Summer 2015 First Pre-Application Consultation Carry out consultation with the statutory authorities and public on the multiple sites September 2015 Consider the feedback from consultation and identify a preferred site February 2016 Develop an outline design for the preferred site, including landscaping proposals March 2016 Second Pre-Application Consultation Carry out consultation with the statutory authorities and public on the outline design April 2016 Submit Proposal of Application Notice to the Highland Council Consider feedback from consultation and continue to develop the design May 2016 Carry out detailed environmental surveys and assessments to inform planning application Final Pre-Application Consultation Carry out final pre-application consultation with the statutory authorities and public Summer 2016 on the detailed design and environmental assessments Consider any final feedback on detailed proposals Submit planning application to the Highland Council Autumn 2016 Submit Need Case October 2016 and Project Assessment to Ofgem for approval Statutory Consultation Highland Council will carry out a statutory consultation following submission during which representations can be made directly to the planning authority 2017 Determination of planning application Subject to consents, pre-construction works begin on site Construction phase will be approximately two years Completion of Switching Station Construction The Site Preferred construction access (to be determined in consultation with The Highland Council) Site boundary for planning purposes Site area once works complete Site selection The project development team have selected the Following these studies, and taking into account feedback preferred site following review of economic, technical received during the public consultations in September 2015 and environmental factors, whilst considering the views and March 2016, the site as shown above was selected. of members of the public. In addition, the project team acknowledge that access All factors were considered in balance throughout the site for construction traffic through the communities of selection process to arrive at a short-list of four sites in Broadhaven, Papigoe and Staxigoe is possible although not late 2015. preferred. In light of this, the project development team are investigating alternatives to route construction traffic via Ackergill and along a newly constructed access route. Environmental Considerations SHE Transmission’s preferred site is close Key Considerations to the low point on the minor road between the airport and Noss Farm. Advantages It is a landscape of open, gently rolling fields. The building • Relatively low in the landscape, the site would will be partly dug into the slope and the land around be prominent locally but not particularly intrusive mounded up gently to provide a degree of screening, in the wider landscape particularly from the minor road to Noss Head. • Limited effects on cultural heritage interests Given the open nature of the landscape, the building • Little effect on local ecology or wildlife, and the will be quite widely visible – a noticeable addition to the opportunity for some biodiversity improvement landscape but it will be aligned with the existing field • No specific engineering or technical constraints pattern and located away from the scenic coastal views. at the site The site consists of