Energy / Work to start soon on access track for electricity converter station
WORK is expected to get underway next week on an access track which would provide a route to the proposed electricity converter station at Upper Kergord.
The project, which will be carried out by local contractor Tulloch Developments, had been delayed by three months due to the coronavirus crisis.
It will now get underway on Monday (15 June) with “strict controls in place due to coronavirus”. It is expected to be completed in the autumn.
Viking Energy Wind Farm (VEWF) is required to build the 1.3-mile track now to meet SSEN Transmission’s deadline to get onsite to start building its electricity convertor station.
The station forms an integral part of plans for a 600MW transmission link cable between Weisdale and Caithness which would allow wind farms like Viking Energy to export power.
The cable is dependent on the 103-turbine Viking farm getting the go-ahead.
A VEWF spokesperson said: “We are fortunate in having a Shetland-based firm to do this work along with its local sub-contractors when required. Stringent health and safety conditions will be in place to keep people safe and to ensure that travel and welfare arrangements are carefully controlled.
“Timely and safe completion of the track will contribute to the successful delivery of the Shetland link and the Viking Wind Farm, which will be one of Scotland’s largest renewable projects contributing to the green economic recovery from coronavirus and to achieving the country’s net zero carbon emission targets.”
Viking Energy said work on these projects is permitted under the latest Scottish Government coronavirus guidance.
It added that “several environmental consultancies will be involved in monitoring how the Kergord works are carried out”.
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