Dingwall date looms for public consultation on SSEN plans for 400kV upgrade from Spittal to Beauly with Ross-shire residents urged to have a say

PEOPLE living in and around Strathpeffer are being urged to find out more and have their say on plans by Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to reinforce its onshore transmission network.

SSEN is currently holding public consultation events on the plans for transmission between Spittal and Beauly via Loch Buidhe.

The proposals involve additional 400kV substations and associated infrastructure.

A consultation event is taking place in Dingwall at the Legion Hall on Wednesday (March 1) from 2.30pm to 7pm.

Community activists in Strathpeffer are flagging up that "the path of these pylons takes it very close to the village of Strathpeffer".

One correspondent writing on the Strathpeffer.org site writes: "The path of these pylons takes it very close to the village of Strathpeffer. At the moment SSEN say their preferred option is the D1 route, which as far as I can see takes it SW down along the Heights, and then somehow behind Castle Leod and cut across the Golf course and Loch Kinellan towards Jamestown.

"It’s very difficult on the 1:100,000 map to make out exactly where they expect it to run. Option D2 runs a little further south than D1 and take it just under the Cats Back towards Blackmuir woods. Hopefully SSEN have 1:25,000 maps at the consultation event they are holding to show the exact route in more detail than in the PDF that I copied the map from."

One section, from Dornoch to Dingwall includes settlements includes Alness, Dingwall, Evanton, Contin and Strathpeffer.

SSEN said: "The north of the Highlands is home to some of the UK’s greatest renewable energy resource and will play a key role in enabling the delivery of the UK and Scottish Governments net zero targets. To take this power to where it is needed, we are upgrading existing lines and, where required, building new overhead lines and subsea cable infrastructure. To be able to achieve the government’s targets this work will need to be completed by 2030, in line with our pathway to 2030 plans."

It adds: "This will involve hosting multiple consultation events between Spittal and Beauly to hear stakeholder views regarding our preferred technology options, thoughts on our proposed route option for the new 400kV connection and preferred substation/HVDC converter station locations.We are also keen to understand if there are further considerations you believe need to be taken in to account during the next stage of the development process."

It adds: "We are reinforcing the overhead line network from Spittal to Loch Buidhe to Beauly as part of the wider Pathway to 2030 strategy. This reinforcement project spans a significant length of the north of Scotland and will involve the construction of a new 400kV overhead line connection, between the new proposed substations at Spittal, Loch Buidhe and Beauly."

More information on the project can be seen at https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/2030-projects/North-Highlands/

We will be holding initial drop-in public consultation events in February/March 2023 to share our approach to developing this project and the rationale behind our early proposals.

This will involve hosting multiple consultation events between Spittal and Beauly to hear stakeholder views regarding our preferred technology options, thoughts on our proposed route option for the new 400kV connection and preferred substation/HVDC converter station locations. We are also keen to understand if there are further considerations you believe need to be taken in to account during the next stage of the development process.

1st March (2.30–7pm) - Dingwall – Legion Hall

2nd March (2.30–7pm) - Beauly – Kilmorack Hall

We are reinforcing the overhead line network from Spittal to Loch Buidhe to Beauly as part of the wider Pathway to 2030 strategy. This reinforcement project spans a significant length of the north of Scotland and will involve the construction of a new 400kV overhead line connection, between the new proposed substations at Spittal, Loch Buidhe and Beauly.

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