SSEN drops Scottish substation from 400 kV plan
Site challenges halt Coachford substation, but SSEN confirms Beauly - Peterhead 400 kV project remains on track to meet 2030 energy goals.
Image for illustrative purposes
UK, Scotland: SSEN Transmission has confirmed it will no longer proceed with the Coachford substation, initially planned as part of the Beauly to Peterhead 400 kV project in northeast Scotland. The decision follows detailed site investigations that revealed engineering and construction challenges at the proposed location.
Despite this change, SSEN emphasized that the overall Beauly – Peterhead 400 kV infrastructure project remains on track for 2030 delivery and will now proceed with three substations instead of four. The wider program forms part of SSEN’s $27 B (£20 B) ‘Pathway to 2030’ initiative, aiming to secure clean power and energy resilience for the UK and Scotland.
A replacement substation in the region will still be required, especially to support long-term developments like a second subsea link from Shetland, expected in the early 2030s. SSEN will now begin identifying a new site, incorporating insights from previous consultations and surveys.
Nick Brown, development portfolio manager at SSEN, stated that while Coachford will not go ahead, its objectives will be delivered elsewhere. The lessons learned during the Coachford planning process will guide future development.
The revised plan underscores SSEN’s commitment to minimizing infrastructure impact while ensuring delivery of critical transmission capabilities essential to achieving national clean energy targets.
Source: renews.biz
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