£1.6 Billion Underwater Superhighway to Connect Substation to North Sea Wind Farms
The underwater superhighway will enable the transmission of renewable energy from offshore wind farms
Image for illustration purposes.
Plans for a substation at the centre of a GBP1.6 billion project to create an underwater “super-highway” to bring offshore energy into the UK network are set to get the go-ahead next week. The latest application is a key link in plans to create an Eastern Link between Torness and County Durham, which aims to turn the North Sea into an energy powerhouse for the future.
The proposed substation, located at Branxton, will be connected to 176km of subsea cables from Torness and County Durham, with 12km of underground cables linking the new substation, a converter station, and landfall sites in East Lothian. The project, led by SP Energy, aims to deliver “an underwater super-highway that would see the North Sea become the hidden powerhouse of Europe”.
The company says the work is vital in meeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the future as it works with the National Grid to develop some of the longest underwater high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) links in the world. Despite receiving over 60 objections, including from local community councils, East Lothian Council planning officers are recommending the proposal for approval.
Source: East Lothian Courier
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