Energy / Marine surveys planned for proposed Yell cable
MORE subsea cable surveys are due to take place in Shetland, with Yell Sound the focus.
A new 220kv high voltage alternating current (HVAC) cable is needed to connect two planned wind farms in Yell to the transmission network on the Shetland mainland.
SSEN Transmission said in a consultation last year that the cable would also provide “future connection capacity for potential load growth on Yell and the Northern Isles”.
The cable – which would be accompanied by a new substation in Yell – would enable the planned Energy Isles and Beaw Field wind farms to export power, ultimately to the national grid.
Last year the developer of the two wind farms, Statkraft, said the developments had a grid connection date of late 2032.
SSEN said last year that the landfall options under consideration on the Shetland Mainland were Toft Ness, Grunnavoe and Mossbank.
Areas like the West Sandwick beach and Burravoe were also under consideration at the Yell side of the cable.
David Inge, development portfolio manager at SSEN Transmission, said: “Over the coming weeks, marine survey work will take place in Yell Sound to help inform the routing of a proposed High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) subsea cable between Yell and the Shetland mainland.
“The surveys form part of SSEN Transmission’s work to gather detailed information on seabed conditions and the marine environment.
“All required permissions are in place, and we have engaged with relevant marine stakeholders as well as with the public – this includes through a series of information events held last year where we shared details of our proposals.
“We remain committed to keeping local communities informed as the project develops, and an update on progress will be provided at an additional marine information event that we are planning to hold later this year.”
The power which would be coming from Yell would feed into a proposed ‘substation hub’ which could be constructed in the Sullom Voe/Toft area. This would also facilitate offshore wind farms proposed to the east of Shetland.
The survey work in Yell Sound, which will include geophysical, geotechnical and benthic examinations, is expected to be completed by the end of May.
SSEN Transmission is also undertaking survey work on a proposed second subsea HVDC cable which would run between Shetland and the Scottish mainland and connect into the substation hub.
There is already a subsea HVDC cable which runs between Weisdale Voe and Caithness, which allows the Viking wind farm to export power and which will ultimately enable Lerwick Power Station to turn to a standby mode.
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