Also in the news / Battery park construction, church anniversary, NHS review and more…
CONSTRUCTION of the foundations for a 68MW battery energy storage system in Lerwick will begin shortly.
Construction is scheduled to take around one year, with a project completion date now slated for the second half of 2026.
Once operational the system will be able to provide power to Shetland homes and businesses in the event of an outage with the subsea HVDC link to the Scottish mainland, allowing Lerwick Power Station to be brought out of standby mode.
Zenobe, which was contracted by SSEN to deliver the system, has secured around £60 million of non-recourse project finance debt from energy transition lenders Natwest, Lloyds and Siemens to fund the build.
The system includes an AC chopper to absorb excess wind power during outages, which is said to be a first for a UK battery deployment.
Founder director James Basden said the project “marks an important step in the islands’ transition to a clean and resilient energy system and we’re proud to bring our battery expertise to a project that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels on the island network”.
SSEN Distribution’s project manager Nathan Coote said the company has “long been committed to delivering a sustainable, whole system solution to decarbonise Shetland’s grid while maintaining security of supply”.
THE MOST northerly Scottish Episcopal Church in Scotland recently celebrated its 125th anniversary.
A service of thanksgiving was held at the St Colman’s Church in Burravoe, Yell on Sunday 20 July, led by lay reader Alma Lewis.
Many of those present had long associations with the church, with the foundation stone having been laid by family members on 26 July 1900.
The building has been the location of baptisms, weddings and funerals through its history.
The church said that today the congregation that gathers on a Sunday is often ecumenical in nature, made up of Christians of various traditions who live on Yell.
There were also poems, Bible readings and musical contributions.
NHS Shetland is inviting people to attend its annual review next month at Mareel.
It said the review “offers a valuable opportunity for the community to learn about our performance during 2024/2025 and to gain insight into the board’s plans for the coming year”.
The event will be hosted by NHS Shetland chairman Gary Robinson and chief executive Brian Chittick, while it will be attended by the Scottish Government’s minister for drugs and alcohol policy and sport, Maree Todd.
The annual review, which will feature a Q&A, will take place at Mareel on Monday 18 August from 2pm to 3pm.
People can submit a question in advance before 11 August by emailing shet.corporateservices@nhs.scot or by telephoning 01595 743060.
Alternatively, people can write to Carolyn Hand, Corporate Services Manager, NHS Shetland Board Headquarters, Montfield Upper Floor, Burgh Road, Lerwick, ZE1 0LA.
THE SIC said partnership working with the local Citizens Advice Bureau will enable the trading standards team to install a further 25 free call blockers for people at risk of financial harm.
Trading standards team leader David Marsh said: “We already have more than 250 of these devices in Shetland, which work quietly and almost unnoticed in the background to block over 90 per cent of scam and nuisance calls so the phone won’t even ring, preventing the anxiety, worry and risk of fraud associated with such calls getting through.
“The units plug into existing phone lines (whether analogue or digital) and can work alongside broadband and any other installed devices, such as care alarms.”
Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau manager Della Armstrong said the organisation is “always here to support people with financial or other issues”.
To request a free call blocker, whether for themselves or for someone else, people can email trading.standards@shetland.gov.uk or phone 01595 744887.
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