As our site teams at Alyth substation prepare for the site closing for the upcoming festive break, SSEN Transmission wanted to provide an update on construction progression. We recently commenced works on the GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear) building, with 2 significant concrete pours having taken place in recent days. Good progress has also been made on the Statcom Building as well, with the concrete blinding for this building now completed too. All 6 gantries have also been excavated and blinded with 2 of these 6 gantry bases now fully complete. As part of the overall sustainable drainage scheme for the substation two Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDs) Ponds have been constructed. A key milestone also reached ahead of programme was the completion of the piling works that commenced in October. We had originally anticipated these activities to last until the end of February 2022 but due to our extensive ground investigation works the piling scope was significantly reduced and we anticipated the piling would be completed before the site closed for the festive season, so we are very pleased to advise that these works are now finished and there will be no requirement for any further piling works in the future. Our Principal Contractor Siemens BAM will demobilise from site for the festive period from 24 December and start back on 4 January for office staff and 10 January for all site staff. Site will operate a slow start procedure for 2 days to allow teams to assess the site for any issues that may have occurred due to poor weather during the break. Full site activities will commence by Wednesday 12 January 2022.

The December edition of the Alyth substation newsletter is available to be downloaded from the project documentation section of this webpage and shares an overview of the site activities currently underway to keep all interested parties updated with the projects progress during construction.

We held the third Alyth substation CLG meeting on 6 October, this was our first face to face meeting since the inception of the CLG for the Alyth substation project. The final approved minutes from the second meeting that was held in June can be downloaded from the project documentation section of this website. If you have issues, concerns or comments you would like discussed at a CLG, please contact any of the Alyth or SSEN Transmission representatives. If you wish to attend a CLG in person, you are required to declare an agenda item in advance to Community Liaison Manager, Louise Anderson.

The October edition of the Alyth substation newsletter is available to be downloaded from the project documentation section of this webpage and shares an overview of the works underway and those coming up to keep all interested parties updated with the projects progress during construction.

Our project team were delighted to welcome members of the Alyth Community Liaison Group (CLG) to site on 18 August. The visit gave the opportunity for the project team to show the progress which has been made during the enabling works and in advance of the main construction works commencing for the substation platform. The project team will continue to work closely with local stakeholders as the project progresses through construction. Feedback from the local community will continue to play a vital role throughout the delivery of the project.

We held the second Alyth substation CLG meeting on 30 June via Microsoft Teams. Minutes from the inaugural meeting that was held in March along with the Terms of Reference can be downloaded from the project documentation section of this website. If you have issues, concerns or comments you would like discussed at a CLG, please contact any of the Alyth or SSEN Transmission representatives. If you wish to attend a CLG in person, you are required to declare an agenda item in advance to Community Liaison Manager, Louise Anderson.

To give you an insight into what works and activities are coming up on site, the Alyth substation project team have created and published the first quarterly project newsletter. The newsletter will share an overview of the works underway and keep you updated with the projects progress during construction. The newsletter can be downloaded from the project documentation section of this website.

We held our first Community Liaison Group (CLG) meeting on 24 March 2021. The CLG is made up of representatives from the local community as well as Alyth and Meigle and Ardler Community Councils, Councillors from Strathmore Ward and project representatives from SSEN Transmission. Meetings will take place at regular intervals to discuss any matters relating to the Alyth substation project in the lead up to and during the construction period. Minutes will be made publicly available via this website and through local channels such as Alyth and Meigle and Ardler Community Councils. The date of the next CLG is 30 June 2021 6-8pm via Microsoft Teams. If you have any queries relating to this project please contact Louise Anderson, Community Liaison Manager.

We will shortly be beginning construction works on the new 275/400kV Alyth substation. As part of this project, we are welcoming local businesses to attend an informal Microsoft Teams meeting on Tuesday 9 March between 4-6pm, to engage with our Principal Contractor to exchange details to further discuss out with this introduction the possible business opportunities for the local supply chain that may be available. This project has the potential to create local business opportunities in the following fields; accommodation, security, catering, cleaning services, aggregate services, local labour services, road gritting, building and wholesaler merchants and others. We would encourage any local businesses to attend the session and discuss what possible business opportunities there are with our Principal Contractor. If you would like to join the meeting please contact the project Community Liaison Manager, Louise Anderson.

SSEN Transmission’s PRI works Principal Contractor, I and H Brown, from 28 November will be commencing Saturday working. The working hours proposed, weather permitting, will be 8am-4.30pm. The commencement of Saturday working will help increase productivity for the PRI works and in turn reduce the duration of any disruption caused during these works. I and H Brown successfully completed the demolition of the disused old railway bridge this week, a day earlier than expected and we are keen to continue this productivity with the programme of our works. To ensure local residents are disturbed as little as possible there will be no Sunday working.

The road closure that was postponed last week on the U100 at the disused railway bridge will now proceed today. We would ask that the area is avoided during the closure, however, should critical access through the works be required for local residents, then please contact either I and H Brown Project Manager, Aaron Scott on 07773 616289 or SSEN Transmission’s Construction Manager, Neil Macdonald on 07584 313588.

The planned road closure on the U100 at the disused railway bridge that was to commence today, Thursday 19 November, has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. The closure will now be postponed until next week. We will provide a further update when a date for the closure has been confirmed. SSEN Transmission apologies for any inconvenience this delay in these works has caused.

On Thursday the 19 November 2020, there will be a road closure at the disused railway bridge on the U100, this is to allow our Public Road Improvements Contractor, I and H Brown to begin the demolition of the bridge. The closure will come into effect from 10am on Thursday until 6pm, the road will also be closed on Friday 20 November between 8am and 6pm. We would ask that the area is avoided during the road closures on both Thursday and Friday, however, should critical access through the works be required for local residents, then please contact either I and H Brown Project Manager, Aaron Scott on 07773 616289 or SSEN Transmission’s Construction Manager, Neil Macdonald on 07584 313588.

On the 9th January, Perth and Kinross Council approved SSEN Transmission’s planning application for necessary Public Road Improvement (PRI) works ahead of the main construction for the Alyth substation commencing in 2021. Our preparations for these PRI works are now well advanced and we anticipate for them to commence on Monday 2nd November 2020, they include works to widen Balendoch Road between the junction to the B954 and the proposed new entrance to our substation, the demolition and reinstatement of the disused railway bridge with formation of embankments and associated works. The PRI works are expected to last until March 2021 and SSEN Transmission apologises for any inconvenience and disruption that these may cause to the local community.

SSEN Transmission’s Public Road Improvement (PRI) works Principal Contractor, I&H Brown will be undertaking core sampling and permeability testing ahead of final design for the PRI works that we will be commencing later this year. These works are in accordance with Perth and Kinross Council as Roads Authority and will be carried out at U100 Hallyards, Meigle, the works will commence on 31 August 2020 for 7 days. We would like to apologise in advance for any disruption. Local access will remain for all agricultural traffic and local residents. The road will not require to be closed for these works and traffic management will be controlled with stop go boards.

SSEN Transmission welcome the decision made by Perth and Kinross Council on Wednesday the 24th of June 2020 to grant permission to proceed with our proposed new substation near Alyth. As a responsible developer, we will continue to engage with the local community before, during and after the construction of the substation, which is a critical piece of network infrastructure and will play an important part in the move to a low carbon economy. Consent for the Alyth substation was originally granted on the 19th December 2012 with a renewal being granted on the 20th June 2018 through a Town and Country Planning Application. As there had been changes in the proposed design since the original planning application was submitted, SSEN Transmission submitted a new application for consent on the 23rd October 2019. Along with the consent for the new Alyth substation, SSEN have now also secured consent from Perth and Kinross Council for associated Public Road Improvement (PRI) works which will include works to widen Balendoch Road between the junction to the B954 and the proposed new entrance to our substation, the demolition and reinstatement of the disused railway bridge with formation of embankments and associated works. In addition to the above, a Section 37 Consent has also been secured from the Scottish Ministers (submitted in October 2019). This consent is for the associated overhead line works in connection to the new Alyth substation and will see the installation of two new steel lattice terminal towers on the Kintore to Kincardine 275kV overhead line, connecting into the Alyth 275/400kV substation via new downleads; and one new steel lattice tower to replace an existing tower on the Tealing to Alyth 275kV overhead line route. SSEN intend to carry out the PRI works between September 2020 and March 2021 with construction commencing on the new substation in April 2021. We will ensure that we keep all stakeholders informed of timelines associated with the project as contractors are appointed and construction programmes are further defined.

SSEN Transmission has submitted a consent application to the Scottish Government for the Alyth substation and reactive compensation project to install two new steel lattice terminal towers on the Kintore to Kincardine 275kV overhead line, connecting into the proposed Alyth 275/400kV substation via new downleads; and one new steel lattice tower to replace an existing tower on the Tealing to Alyth 275kV overhead line route. A copy of the application, is available for inspection, free of charge. This can be accessed during normal opening hours at Alyth Post Office / Scotmid Co-operative. Representations to the application may be submitted via the Energy Consents Unit website at www.energyconsents.scot/Register.aspx; by email to The Scottish Government, Energy Consents Unit mailbox at representations@gov.scot or by post, to The Scottish Government, Energy Consents Unit, 4th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU, identifying the proposal and specifying the grounds for representation.

Following the public consultation that SSEN Transmission held on the 10th of July 2019 and the feedback we received from this consultation, in the interest of engaging openly and meaningfully with the local community we have compiled a Frequently Asked Questions document that can be downloaded from the project documentation tab.

The project team would like to extend thanks to all members of the public who took the time to provide feedback on our public pre-application consultation event at Alyth town hall on Wednesday the 10th of July 2019. All responses received will now be reviewed ahead of submission of a planning application.

We are holding a pre-application consultation in Alyth town hall on Wednesday the 10th of July between 2-7pm and would welcome all local people and interested parties to attend to discuss our plans for a new 275/400kV electricity substation in Alyth.

Due to a vast increase in connection of renewable sources of energy in both the North East and East Coast regions, there is now a requirement to upgrade the transmission network. Over the coming decade, we are proposing to undertake several projects to upgrade the transmission network in the North East and East Coast of Scotland. As part of this process we have created an information brochure to show the projects that are being considered and when we intend to carry out works in the local areas. The information booklet can be downloaded from the project documentation tab.

We have now submitted the Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Perth and Kinross Council under the terms of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure)(Scotland) Regulations 2013. This notice states our intent to submit a planning application to erect an electricity substation 450 metres north west of Haughend Farm, Meigle.