Eastern HVDC Link Offshore Works CONSULTATION DOCUMENT Submitted by: National Grid Electricity Transmission & Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd SHETL/NGET Eastern HVDC Link Offshore (FINAL FEBRUARY 2012) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................3 1.1 BACKGROUND...............................................................................................................3 1.2 PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT ...............................................................6 1.3 STRUCTURE OF THE DOCUMENT ...................................................................................6 1.4 THE NEXT STAGES .......................................................................................................7 1.5 STATUTORY CONSENT PROCEDURE ..............................................................................7 2.0 PROJECT NEED...................................................................................................9 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................9 2.2 STATUTORY AND LICENCE OBLIGATIONS OF TRANSMISSION LICENSEES .......................13 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................15 3.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................15 3.2 SUBSTATION...............................................................................................................15 3.3 CONVERTER STATION .................................................................................................15 3.4 UNDERGROUND HVDC CABLES ..................................................................................15 3.5 CABLE LANDFALLS ......................................................................................................15 3.6 SUBSEA CABLES.........................................................................................................15 4.0 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................17 4.1 OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................17 4.2 REGIONAL REVIEW .....................................................................................................18 4.3 CORRIDOR REVIEW.....................................................................................................19 5.0 REGIONAL REVIEW ..........................................................................................20 5.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................20 5.2 DATA COLLATION........................................................................................................20 5.3 NEAR SHORE CONSTRAINTS AND LANDFALLS ..............................................................24 6.0 ROUTE CORRIDOR OPTIONS (10KM WIDE CORRIDORS) ............................35 6.1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................35 6.2 CONSTRAINTS AND OPTION SUMMARY ........................................................................36 6.3 CORRIDOR OPTIONS ...................................................................................................36 6.4 PREFERRED ROUTE CORRIDOR OPTION ......................................................................64 7.0 ROUTE REFINEMENT (500M WIDE CORRIDORS)..........................................65 7.1 APPROACH .................................................................................................................65 7.2 ROUTE DESCRIPTION..................................................................................................69 7.3 PREFERRED OPTIONS .................................................................................................93 i SHETL/NGET Eastern HVDC Link Offshore (FINAL FEBRUARY 2012) TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Eastern HVDC Link........................................................................................................ 3 Figure 2: Eastern HVDC Link schematic ...................................................................................... 5 Figure 3: Forecast cumulative generation capacity in the SHETL area up to year 2022/23 ............................................................................................................... 10 Figure 4: Forecast capacity requirements at the interface between SHETL and SP transmission systems .......................................................................................... 11 Figure 5: Forecast Capability Required for Scottish Export ........................................................ 13 Figure 6: Area of Search............................................................................................................. 21 Figure 7: HVDC marine designated areas and physical constraints overview map ................... 23 Figure 8: Sandford Bay near shore constraints .......................................................................... 26 Figure 9: Cruden Bay near shore constraints ............................................................................. 27 Figure 10: Bay north of Peterhead near shore constraints ......................................................... 28 Figure 11: Lackenby near shore constraints............................................................................... 30 Figure 12: Hawthorn Pit near shore constraints.......................................................................... 34 Figure 13: HVDC 10km wide corridors ....................................................................................... 39 Figure 14: Conservation areas in the study area ........................................................................ 42 Figure 15: Lackenby constraints and corridors ........................................................................... 43 Figure 16: Spoil grounds in the study area ................................................................................. 46 Figure 17: Peterhead landfall options and constraints................................................................ 47 Figure 18: Fishing activity in the study area................................................................................ 50 Figure 19: PEXAs in the study area............................................................................................ 52 Figure 20: Wind farms in the study area ..................................................................................... 54 Figure 21: Wrecks in the study area ........................................................................................... 56 Figure 22: Geology in the study area......................................................................................... 58 Figure 23: Bathymetry in the study area .................................................................................... 59 Figure 24: 500m wide route segments........................................................................................ 66 Figure 25: Segments 1, 2, 2a and 3 constraints ......................................................................... 70 Figure 26: Legend for Figures 25 to 31....................................................................................... 71 Figure 27: Segment 4 constraints ...............................................................................................72 Figure 28: Segments 5 and 10 constraints ................................................................................. 72 Figure 29: Segments 6, 10 to 15 and 21 constraints .................................................................. 73 Figure 30: Segments 7, 8, 8a and 9 constraints ......................................................................... 75 Figure 31: Segments 13 and 16 to 25 constraints ...................................................................... 77 Figure 32: 500m wide corridors options. Routes HP A, HP B and HP C. ................................... 79 Figure 33: 500m wide corridor options. Routes RS A, RS B, RS C and RS D. .......................... 80 Figure 34: 500m wide corridor options. Routes MS A, MS B, MS C and MS D......................... 81 Figure 35: Rock and till exposures along routes......................................................................... 88 Figure 36: Seabed sediment compositions along routes ............................................................ 89 Figure 37: Relative fishing intensity along routes ....................................................................... 90 Figure 38: Route HP C, option 2a bathymetry and depth profile ................................................ 95 ii SHETL/NGET Eastern HVDC Link Offshore (FINAL FEBRUARY 2012) 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1.1.1 The European Union has set a target that 15% of Europe’s energy requirements shall be met from renewable resources by 2020. The UK government’s contribution towards this target is to achieve 15% energy consumption1 from renewable sources by this date. National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc (NGET) and Scottish Hydro-Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) are committed to playing their part in ensuring that England and Scotland take full advantage of their renewable energy potential. 1.1.1.2 At present the