Gills Bay to Thurso South Connection

Consent for the proposed connection was previously granted in July 2019 (Energy Consents Unit Reference: EC00005260) under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989. However, this consent expired in July 2024 and therefore we will be submitting a new application to the Scottish Ministers based on the previously consented design. An updated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be submitted alongside the new application.

The design includes 10km of UGC in two sections to mitigate potential environmental impacts on ornithology and visual amenity. The underground sections are proposed between Thurso South Substation and Weydale, and between Reaster and the proposed Gills Bay Switching Station.

During this consultation, we are presenting our approach to developing the alignment selection. Our consultation includes information regarding our alignment process, the planning process, environmental and engineering considerations and maps which aim to give stakeholders and community members a better visual representation of the work on the project to date.

Date and Time:  Thursday 4 September, 3–7pm

Venue:  Mey Village Hall, Mey, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 8XH

Our electricity network must be upgraded to ensure we can efficiently deliver this renewable energy to homes and businesses across the country.

Stakeholder engagement in the development phase is vital in shaping our proposals. To do this effectively, we need to capture consultation feedback and harness local knowledge to identify challenges and explore community benefit and opportunities.

We’re therefore requesting views regarding the alignment, and we invite all interested parties to attend our public drop-in event to discuss our plans with the project team and share your views.