Putting Peterhead at the forefront of creating a network for net zero
A blog by SSEN Transmission Project Manager, Jamie Wallace
In this blog, SSEN Transmission Project Manager Jamie Wallace celebrates the success of a local north-east Scotland firm in securing work on the Eastern Green Link 2 project, while looking at the important role the ‘Blue Toon’ is playing in the energy transition.
As Lead Project Manager for the construction of the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) HVDC converter station near Peterhead, I warmly welcome the contract awarded to David Smith Ltd to carry out civil engineering works at the site. It is especially pleasing to see the contract go to a local firm based here in north-east Scotland, helping to support employment opportunities in an area close to my heart.
As someone born and raised in Peterhead I have witnessed the changing face of industry in the Blue Toon over several decades. While synonymous with the fishing industry, the energy sector has played a dominant role in the town’s recent history and after serving 16 years in the military (1st Bn Gordons, 1st Bn The Highlanders and 4 Scots regiment), I joined many others from Peterhead in following a career in the oil and gas industry, learning skills that are now being employed in pursuit of net zero.
The energy transition has provided an opportunity to build on this strong legacy, with the area set to become a key strategic hub for our national net zero and energy security ambitions, powered by our abundant renewable energy resources in the north of Scotland. The EGL2 project is part of a wider programme of grid upgrades led by SSEN Transmission and other transmission operators across the UK, and I’m proud to be part of the team working on what is the UK’s largest ever transmission project.
A key source of that pride is the work we’re doing to create jobs in the local community through our supply chain, as part of our efforts to leave a lasting and positive legacy. This also includes activities aimed at enhancing the local environment, from supporting local beach cleans to providing assistance to projects that enhance community wellbeing.
In September we held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction on EGL2, which when complete will include the longest HVDC subsea cable in the UK and provide enough electricity to power two million homes. Alongside other developments including SSEN Transmission’s proposed Netherton Hub near to the town, this nationally significant project will create more employment and local supply chain opportunities, putting Peterhead and the north-east at the forefront of work to create a network for net zero.