Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission has selected a joint venture of Siemens BAM, along with three other contractors, to construct the 600MW Shetland HVDC link to transmit energy from Shetland Islands to Great Britain. This is after SSEN secured final approval for the 600MW Shetland HVDC link from the UK energy regulator Ofgem.
The HVDC link includes the construction of an AC Substation at Kergord on Shetland, which will receive power from the renewable energy projects located on Shetland Islands. The power will be converted from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) at a HVDC converter station, also at Kergord, before it is transmitted nearly 270km via underground and subsea cable (257km) to a HVDC Switching Station at Noss Head, Caithness, in the north of Scotland.
The received power will then be transmitted via the Caithness Moray HVDC link before it is converted back to AC, to be further transmitted to meet the electricity needs of homes and businesses across the north of Scotland and beyond.
Siemens BAM will lead the work on the high voltage direct current (HVDC) link. Other contractors selected: include marine cables-producer NKT, BAM Nuttall to provide civil engineering services and Hitachi ABB Power Grids to supply and commission the HVDC converter system.
Also Read: US $248.3m Greece-Crete subsea cable to be constructed
Shetland HVDC link
According to SSEN Transmission offshore delivery director Sandy Mactaggart All four contractors are leading specialists in their field, building the high quality and reliable infrastructure required to meet Shetland’s future energy needs and contribute to UK and Scottish net zero targets.
“We are delighted to have finalised contracts with our supply chain partners for the Shetland HVDC link, building on the experience and strong track record we have collectively established over recent years following the construction and operation of the Caithness Moray link. The Shetland HVDC link will deliver substantial socio-economic and environmental benefits to Shetland’s, Scotland’s and the UK’s economy, supporting hundreds of skilled jobs in the process as part of the green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic,” said Mactaggart.
