Kintyre peninsula to benefit from £200m subsea reinforcement

[Kintyre Forum News]

Kintyre peninsula to benefit from £200m subsea reinforcement project

11 Nov 2013

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission), part of the SSE Group, has officially marked the beginning of advanced construction works on the Kintyre Hunterston subsea link by welcoming Michael Russell MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and constituency MSP for Argyll and Bute, to the £200m project.

Mr Russell visited the site at Crossaig where the new electricity substation is being built that will connect the Kintyre peninsula to mainland Scotland via a subsea cable. The Crossaig site is significant as it was the location where damage was caused to the overhead electricity network during the March 2013 snow storm. The new subsea link will significantly increase security of electrical supply to the peninsula by providing a secondary electrical link.

Commenting on the project, Mr Russell said:

“I am delighted that this project is now underway. This £200m investment by SHE Transmission is a significant landmark for the Argyll and Bute economy and particularly for the Kintyre Peninsula. It will be warmly welcomed for improving the security of supply to Kintyre as well as unlocking the potential for the areas renewable generation which is not only a boost for local communities, it will make a significant contribution to the Scottish Governments ambitious renewable energy targets.”

David Gardner, SSE’s Director of Transmission added:

“The Kintyre Hunterston project plays a key part in our £1.4bn investment programme which will see the upgrade of Scotland’s electricity network. We are investing around £4million a day in new energy infrastructure across the north of Scotland and we want to see real economic and social benefits flow to local businesses and communities as a result.

"It is well known that major infrastructure projects can bring benefits to an area both in terms of local jobs and a boost to the region’s economy. We have impressed upon our appointed contractors the need to maximise the use of local business and services throughout the construction programme and have worked collaboratively on this matter.

“On completion, the subsea link will release around 150MW of additional grid capacity from renewable generated sources and will provide a more secure electricity supply to the Kintyre peninsula. The new link is expected to be fully commissioned by the end of 2015.”

[Kintyre Forum News]

Kintyre Hunterston – start of advanced works


Start of advanced works on the Kintyre Hunterston link to improve the electricity network in Kintyre

The project will see an investment of over £200m which will provide a more secure energy supply to the Kintyre peninsula by strengthening the transmission network, as well as providing significant local employment opportunities.

Argyll and Bute Council is already a leading player in the renewables sector nationwide, and has a number of ambitious targets. Argyll and Bute Renewable Alliance (ABRA) has been a key driver in securing the delivery of this project. The council and ABRA recognise the critical importance of releasing additional grid capacity to allow both commercial and community renewable projects to be realised and to deliver on the local economic opportunities that could come from the renewables in the future.

The Kintyre Hunterston link has huge development potential in this area and will release 150MW of grid capacity for renewable energy generators.

A substation is being built at Croassaig in Kintyre to connect the peninsula to Hunterston on the Ayrshire coast via two 25-mile underwater cables.

As well as the new power station in Croassaig forest, SSE will replace the existing overhead line between Carradale and Croassaig with a higher capacity double circuit line.

Policy Lead for Sustainable Environment and Renewables, Vivien Dance, said:

‘’I was pleased to be on site with Michael Russell MSP on Monday to launch the start of the advanced works and appreciate the scale of the project and the development potential that this will trigger in the renewables sector.

‘’This £220million investment is a huge boost for Argyll and Bute in general and the Kintyre Peninsula in particular and I was pleased to be able to meet local residents who have already secured employment on site. The strengthening of the power supply network will be greatly welcomed, it is essential that the electricity supply in Kintyre is secured for the future, particularly in light of the problems during the heavy snow in March this year.’’

‘’Argyll and Bute Council has been wholly committed to supporting this project and we look forward to working with the SSE team to deliver long term, sustainable economic benefit to local residents and visitors. This is a good news story for the area and we look forward to seeing the project completed.”

David Gardner, SSE’s Director of Transmission added:

“The Kintyre Hunterston project plays a key part in our £1.4bn investment programme which will see the upgrade of Scotland’s electricity network. We are investing around £4million a day in new energy infrastructure across the north of Scotland and we want to see real economic and social benefits flow to local businesses and communities as a result.

"It is well known that major infrastructure projects can bring benefits to an area both in terms of local jobs and a boost to the region’s economy. We have impressed upon our appointed contractors the need to maximise the use of local business and services throughout the construction programme and have worked collaboratively on this matter.

“On completion, the subsea link will release around 150MW of additional grid capacity from renewable generated sources and will provide a more secure electricity supply to the Kintyre peninsula. The new link is expected to be fully commissioned by the end of 2015.”

For further information contact Mark Calder, Communications Officer on 01546 604756 or email mark.calder@argyll-bute.gov.uk

[kintyreturbinewatch]

Utter Drivell...

The supply of electricity to Kintyre is in no worse shape than most of the rest of Scotland. Yes, now and then there will be extreme weather that affects the network, but what is new there. Extreme weather will still wreak havoc on the local distribution network with or without a subsea cable. The only thing guaranteed after the subsea cable is installed would be a much greater capacity to take electricity out of Kintyre and Argyll. What does this really mean for residents? Hundreds of wind turbines, devalued property, decimated landscapes, stress, anguish and worry. What this subsea cable does not mean is guaranteed energy supply, reduced fuel poverty or increased economic activity. Somebody is selling Kintyre out.. Dont believe the hype. And finally, judging by the following article:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mark ... -Grid.html
south of the border aint going to buy our surplus electricity.
Its bad enough that energy and utilities are all 'for profit', Nikola Tesla should have been listened to nearly 100 years ago and we may have been living in a world with free energy. A crazy thought now?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVNew0cazzA

[MurkyLitFelon]

Utter Drivell...

True.

Anyone with sense to Google Kintyre Hunterston will see that the proposals were lodged in January 2013 - two months before the heavy snow: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publicat ... letter.pdf

To quote SSE:

Due to the increase in requests for connections onto the electricity network in the North of Scotland, Scottish Hydro Electric (SHE) Transmission is required to reinforce the transmission system serving the Kintyre Peninsula to accommodate future output, including that from renewable generation projects. Following a lengthy consultation period SHE Transmission have received consent to build a new 220/132kV substation in Crossaig forest; replace the existing 132,000 Volt (132kV) overhead line between Carradale and Crossaig with a higher capacity double circuit overhead line and install two subsea cable circuits from this new substation round the north coast of Arran to Hunterston.

Completing the reinforcement will provide a more secure electricity supply to the area by strengthening the transmission network, and will provide additional capacity for generators who have applied to connect to the grid.

Source: http://www.sse.com/KintyreHunterston/Pr ... formation/

So, KintyreTurbineWatch is 100% correct when he/she points out this is about wind turbines and generating capacity, not about securing the supply to Kintyre in bad weather.

[democat101]

Here's hoping some good souls of Kintyre set up a steering group to negotiate and ensure that small,local renewable energy projects take priority over the "big buoys" when it comes to grid connection and that a percentage of SSE's estimated profits, just shy of £500MILLION, are assigned to a Kintyre Mitigation Fund to compensate for any deterioration in health, environment or property prices as a result of their intended industrialization of the area.
[i]Mitiagtion
Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. Mitigation is taking action now—before the next disaster—to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, insuring against risk). Effective mitigation requires that we all understand local risks, address the hard choices, and invest in long-term community well-being. Without mitigation actions, we jeopardize our safety, financial security, and self-reliance.