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New subsea cables 'could help ease energy crisis'

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New subsea cables are needed to deliver electricity from offshore wind farms to the National Grid

SSEN Transmission has said a series of major projects planned for Scotland would help ease the UK's energy crisis.

Ofgem has approved the need for four new high-voltage subsea cables to deliver electricity from wind farms to the National Grid.

One of the cables has been talked about for 17 years and would link the Western Isles with the Scottish mainland.

Two undersea cables would link Peterhead in Aberdeenshire with England.

A fourth cable would run from Spittal in Caithness to Peterhead.

The projects, along with planned upgrades of powerlines across Scotland, would help deliver the UK government's target to achieve 50GW of offshore wind power by 2030.

Energy regulator Ofgem has approved the schemes as part of its Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment Framework.

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Electricity giant SSEN Transmission said the projects could see the wider SSE Group's investment exceed £24bn this decade, and lead to "directly alleviating the UK's energy crisis".

The company has proposed:

  • Two 2GW subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links from Peterhead to England, both of which to be taken forward as joint ventures with National Grid Electricity Transmission
  • A 2GW subsea HVDC link from Spittal connecting to Peterhead
  • A 1.8GW subsea HVDC cable from Arnish in Lewis in the Western Isle to the Scottish mainland to deliver electricity to a substation at Beauly in the Highlands
  • Improvements to powerlines between Beauly, Blackhillock, New Deer and Peterhead, between Beauly, Loch Buidhe and Spittal and between Kintore, Tealing and Westfield
  • Work on the existing Beauly to Denny line to enable 400kV operation on both its circuits

Rob McDonald, managing of SSEN Transmission, said: "Today's publication of the ASTI Framework is a critical milestone to support our collective net zero and energy security ambitions and we welcome Ofgem's approval of the need for the investments required to deliver 2030 offshore wind targets."

The Western Isle link is expected to lead to expansion of onshore and offshore wind projects.

The islands' local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said it would allow 420MW of onshore wind generation in Lewis and 1.3GW of offshore wind generation.

SSEN Transmission has been working on the cable project for almost 15 years but the comhairle has been calling for a link since 2005.

Paul Steele, leader of the comhairle, said: "The islands have waited a long time for this excellent news.

"The potential for the Western Isles to be a world class resource in renewable energy has long been talked about and that potential can now be delivered for the benefit of the climate, UK energy security and our island economy."

Councillor Calum Iain MacIver said there would also be opportunities for smaller community projects to sell their electricity to the grid.

Public agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise said approval of the Western Isles cable was good news for the islands, Scotland and UK.

Chief executive Stuart Black said: "This will unlock the potential of island wind projects that have been consented for several years.

"These 'shovel-ready' projects will create a great many jobs."

Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil said it had taken years of campaigning and hard work to reach this stage.