Community invited to provide feedback on updated plans for Balallan Switching Station

19 March 2026

SSEN Transmission will host an additional public consultation event in Lewis to present revised plans for the Balallan Switching Station, following a reduction in the size of the development area for the site.

The pre-application consultation (PAC) event will take place from 4 – 7pm on Thursday 2 April at the Kinloch Historical Society Community Hub in Balallan.

As a PAC event, it marks an important stage in the planning process, giving the local community the opportunity to view the proposals, ask questions, and provide feedback ahead of a formal submission.

The proposed Balallan 132kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) switching station is a key project that will enable the transmission of renewable energy throughout the island.

Located off the A859 near Loch Stranndabhat, it would connect the Muaitheabhal (Uisenis) Wind Farm and manage power flows between circuits, enabling the safe transmission of clean energy to the wider grid.  It will also support local electricity needs by linking to the Lewis Hub and proposed Stornoway Grid Supply Point.

At the upcoming consultation event, the project team will present the finalised designs for the switching station, including layout drawings, visualisations, and information on the environmental and technical considerations that have informed the design.

Lyle Cairns, Project Manager at SSEN Transmission, said:

“In developing our proposals for Balallan Switching Station, we’ve worked to balance community and stakeholder feedback with technical and environmental requirements.

Since our initial consultation events in August and October 2025, we have made significant changes to the development boundary for the site, which has now reduced in size to better reflect the needs of the project.

With the site design now finalised, we’re holding this additional pre-application consultation event to update the community on these changes, and to invite any further feedback prior to the submission of our formal planning application. 

We encourage anyone with an interest in our proposals to come along and speak to our project team.”

For further information on the proposed Balallan Switching Station, visit the Balallan Switching Station project page. 

For information on the proposed Muaitheabhal (Uisenis) Wind Farm connection, visit the Muaitheabhal Wind Farm Connection project page.