Members of the Stronelairg - Melgarve Connection Project team last week met with the Laggan Community Council Liaison Group. The team provided an updated overview of the project, explaining that the tower replacement works, Stronelairg Substation (close to the windfarm near Fort Augustus) and 10km 132kv cable circuit connection the Melgarve and Stronelairg substation are now completed. The meeting also provided community members to raise any questions or issues they may have regarding construction with the project team.

Two transformers are due to be delivered to Melgarve substation this week. Transformer 1 will be delivered to Spey Dam forestry track by Police Scotland escort at approximately 2100 hours on Friday 21 September 2018 and moved from the forestry track to delivered to Melgarve substation on the morning of Saturday 22 September. Transformer 2 will follow the same route and schedule, being escorted to the Spey Dam forestry track on Weds 26 September and brought to site on the morning of 27 September. Please note that the Strathmashie – Spey Dem forestry track will be closed to other vehicles whilst the transformers are stationed on both evenings. Site staff will require to use the Laggan Glen road during the dates outlined above, however there will be no large deliveries. We will have site staff present during all operations to ensure any potential disruption is kept to a minimum.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) will be removing the bridge decking at Mashie Bridge (located just past Strathmashie Cottages on the forestry track). Please see "Project Documentation" for further details.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) will be delivering a transformer to Melgarve substation today. To facilitate the installation, a specialist crane has already been delivered to site on Friday 24 November. These specialist deliveries are a complex and timely operation which will be under the supervision of Police Scotland and private escorts. To ensure that the deliveries are made safely, and with minimum disruption, traffic management systems will be in use on the route. Delivery Route Sat 25 Nov: Transformer will arrive at Strathmashie Cottages approx. 11.30am under police escort. The forestry track access track and General Wades Road will be closed for approx. 3 hours. Please note that there will be 8 crane support vehicles arriving on Sunday 26 November between 8.00am and 3.30pm. If you have any questions about the upcoming deliveries, please do not hesitate to contact our Community Liaison Manager, Jenna Black: Call: 07342 027725 Email: jenna.black@sse.com Post: Inveralmond House, 200 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3AQ

The Melgarve substation construction team are preparing for a series of important deliveries which are required to connect the Stronelairg wind farm to the national grid. Please see 'Project Documentation' for full details.

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) plc will shortly be applying to The Highland Council for planning permission to vary the approved design of the Melgarve Substation. An extension to the substation platform is required along with a new building to accommodate voltage regulation equipment. The additional equipment is required to ensure voltage regulation from the Stronelairg Wind Farm and to improve the stability of electricity on the National Grid. Indicative visualisation - (to be inserted here - attached) The application will be advertised on The Highland Councils planning portal (www.highland.gov.uk/info/180/planning__applications_warrants_and_certificates/143/planning_permission/6) and will be available for public comment in the next few weeks. Construction of the additional works will be undertaken alongside existing construction but the final completion date is likely to be later than the main substation works. Below is an indicative programme of works; • Anticipated start of ground works in January 2018 • Ground works complete late summer 2018 (July/August 2018) • Electrical installation commences August 2018 • Electrical installation complete by Summer 2019 (Jun/Jul 2019) • Commissioning and energisation from July 2019 – October 2019 There will be additional vehicle movements in relation to the works but we estimate approximately a 55% reduction in total number of vehicles compared to the existing Melgarve substation traffic movements. Vehicle movement estimates have been prepared ahead of planning submission and can be found on the Project website. The majority of additional HGV movements will be during the ground works period between January – July/August 2018 (dependant on planning permission being granted). Methods of contact - The project website will be kept up-to-date with project information at https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/stronelairg-wind-farm-connection/ Jenna Black is your Community Liaison contact and will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this project. Jenna can be contacted by e-mail, phone or post - jenna.black@sse.com, 07342 027725 or Jenna Black - SSE, Inveralmond House, 200 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3AQ Thank you for your continued support to our teams who are working in your local area.

The planned delivery of a transformer unit between Inverness and Stronelairg Wind farm on Sunday 6 August, has been rescheduled to take place on Tuesday 8 August. The specialist deliveries are a complex and timely operations which will be under the supervision of Police Scotland and specialist haulier, Allelys. To ensure that the deliveries are made safely, and with the minimum of disruption, a rolling road block will be implemented by Police Scotland and traffic will be able to pass with care under their instruction. Delivery Route Tuesday 8 August - Depart Inverness at 05:00 Travel via A82 to Fort Augustus Turn left onto B862 at Fort Augustus and continue onto Stronelairg wind farm site, arriving at approximately 08:00 If you have any questions about the upcoming operation, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Community Liaison Team.

We are transporting 2 x supergrid transformers in stages over three weekends in July and August from Port of Corpach to Melgarve Substation. View the full details in our 'Project Documentation' tab.

We are transporting 3 x transformers from Inverness to Stronelairg substation on Sunday 6th and Sunday 13th August. View the full details in our 'Project Documentation' tab.

The Melgarve substation construction team are preparing for a series of important deliveries which are required to connect the Stronelairg wind farm to the national grid. The deliveries will include 10km of underground cables and two transformer units which weigh 110 tonnes. Please see 'Project Documentation' for full details..

An exploration of the Spey Dam reservoir and the surrounding area with the Melgarve substation onsite Ecologist. Come and discover what monsters live in the Loch, find out if we’ve trapped any mammals and much more… please see "Project Documentation" for further details.

A unique feature of the Stronelairg site is the construction of a 70 bed camp with full catering facilities which will assist in limiting travel time to site and may also be a life line should workers become snowbound on the mountain. Camp set up has now been completed with the accommodation units occupied and the canteen having opened at the beginning of March. By mid April, there shall also be a broadband connection to provide internet connectivity to camp.

Since meeting with community members and listening to their suggestions, the 10mph speed limit on the Strathmashie Road has been extended to the turn off from the A86 to ensure HGVs and other construction traffic is slowing on approach to site and past residential properties.

Construction teams have begun mobilisation to both Melgarve and Stronelairg sites. This early phase will see the establishment of welfare facilities, delivery of equipment and the creation of secure material storage areas