New Papa Stour power cable laid on the seabed

2 September 2024 09:57

Large red buoy markers extend from the shore into the water toward a large vessel in the distance, with two smaller boats and several people working near the markers.

A new cable was laid between the Shetland mainland and Papa Stour in September of last year. Photo: SSEN Distribution

THE FIRST phase of installing the replacement power cable between mainland Shetland and Papa Stour is now complete.

SSEN Distribution said this phase, which involved the laying of the cable along the seabed, was completed on Friday (30 August).

Work on the phase two, which sees protection laid over the new cable to shield it from potential damage, is set to begin. Connection to the local network and a full programme of testing will then follow.

SSEN Distribution said customers in Papa Stour are continuing to receive their power through generators in the meantime.

“We thank them for their patience while we do this as safely and quickly as possible,” a spokesperson said.

Generators were brought to the island earlier this year to ensure stable supply for 20 customers following a fault on the cable at the end of January.

Not all of Shetland’s outlying inhabited islands are linked to the local grid through subsea cable, with Fair Isle and Foula having their own self-contained networks which include wind power.