Overview
About the Project
In order to support the continued growth in onshore and offshore renewables across the north of Scotland, supporting the country's drive towards Net Zero, investment in network infrastructure is needed to connect this renewable power and transport it from source to areas of demand across the country.
Extensive studies have confirmed the need to reinforce the onshore transmission infrastructure between Kintore and Tealing. A new 400kV substation is therefore required to enable connection of the new 400kV overhead line between Kintore and Tealing.
This is part of the East Coast 400kV Phase 2 projects, a scheme consisting of several onshore reinforcement projects on the east coast of Scotland.
Find Out More About Kintore to Tealing 400kV Connection
This video outlines how the project contributes to our role in delivering Net Zero.
Pathway to 2030
The Pathway to 2030, published by National Grid ESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain, sets the blueprint for the electricity transmission network infrastructure required to enable the forecasted growth in renewable electricity across Great Britain.
The projects identified within the Pathway to 2030 are critical to delivering the UK and Scottish Government’s offshore wind targets. To deliver these targets, we are investing over £20bn to upgrade the network infrastructure across the north of Scotland as the region plays a leading role in the clean energy transition.
As part of this investment, there is a requirement for a new 400kV substation near the existing Fetteresso substation.
Stakeholder Engagement
Public consultations took place in May 2023 to inform the community on progress to date with the East Coast 400kV Phase 2 Projects. We sought feedback from local communities and all interested parties on the interim preferred sites for the proposed Fiddes 400kV Substation.
Access the 2023 Virtual Exhibition
In this video, Senior Project Manager Calum Grant describes the approach we are taking to develop our proposals and the opportunities that are available for stakeholders to feed into the design process. This process aims to progress towards an optimal site in a systematic manner, which is technically feasible, economically viable, and could be anticipated to cause the least disturbance to the environment and to those who live, work, and visit the area.
The East Coast 400kV Phase 2 Projects
The East Coast 400kV Phase 2 is a scheme consisting of several onshore reinforcement projects on the east coast of Scotland, comprising of new and upgrades of existing infrastructure. The majority of the infrastructure projects are within our operational area in the north of Scotland.
To provide the full 400kV capability that the scheme intends to deliver, there are several projects that contribute to the full scheme:
- An extension to Kintore 400kV Substation (currently under construction)
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A new 400kV substation within the vicinity of the existing Fetteresso substation
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A new 400kV substation within the vicinity of the existing Tealing substation
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A new 400kV connection between Kintore, Fetteresso and Tealing
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An upgrade to the existing Alyth - Tealing 275kV Overhead Line
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An upgrade to the existing Tealing - Westfield 275kV Overhead Line (to the Scottish Power Transmission operational border)
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Connection of the upgraded Alyth - Tealing and Tealing - Westfield Overhead Lines into the proposed Tealing Substation
Find out more about Kintore 400kV substation
Find out more about Tealing (Emmock) 400kV substation
Find out more about Kintore - Tealing 400kV connection
How we’re embracing artificial intelligence (AI)
We intend to use AI to assist our experienced teams in the analysis of your feedback, so we can categorise key points raised more quickly. You can learn more about how we’re utilising AI on this dedicated web page.
Project Updates
March 2024 public consultations
We would like to thank all local community members and stakeholders who took the time to attend our recent March 2024 public consultation events which took place 4 – 21 March with 10 in person events covering the Kintore-Tealing 400kV projects.
Our public consultation remains open until 30 April. We welcome all interested parties to submit their feedback regarding the proposals presented during consultation via;
Online feedback form: Hurlie 400kV Substation - Pre-Application Consultation Feedback Form
Email: tkup@sse.com
Post: FAO Rhiannon Merritt, SSEN Transmission, 10 Henderson Road, Inverness, IV1 1SN
Our virtual consultation portal will remain available throughout the consultation period here.
A copy of the consultation booklet is available to download via the ‘Project Documents’ section of this project website.
March 2024 public consultation period is now open
We are pleased to announce the commencement of the next period of public consultation.
Public events will be held in March for this project:
11 March 2024 Stonehaven, Stonehaven Bowling Club, Recreation Ground, Stonehaven, AB39 2RD 1-6pm
and
19 March 2024 Drumlithie, Drumlithie Village Hall, Station Road, Drumlithie, AB39 3YT 2-7pm
If you are unable to attend the planned in-person events, all the material that will be on display can also be downloaded from the project documents section of this dedicated project website at the start of the consultation period.
You can submit your feedback until 30 April 2024 for this project via the feedback form on the project website, by emailing tkup@sse.com or writing to us at SSEN Transmission, 10 Henderson Road, Inverness, IV1 1SN.
Following the events held in May 2023, many enquiries we received were about the need for the projects, the engagement process, environmental considerations, and what alternative technologies may be available. We have compiled ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ to address many of these points which can be viewed here.March 2024 Public Events
We are pleased to announce that the next round of public events for the Kintore-Tealing 400kV projects will be held in March 2024.
These upcoming events consist of:
- Consultations for the Alyth-Tealing and the Tealing-Westfield 400kV overhead lines (OHL), which will be upgraded from 275kV to 400kV.
- Consultations for the Tealing (Emmock) and Hurlie (Fetteresso Forest) substations. These events are the commencement of the formal pre-application process in terms of the Town and Country Planning process for national planning applications. At this stage feedback received during these events are not submissions to the Planning Authority. There will be a further opportunity to provide feedback to the Planning Authority directly, once applications have been submitted.
- Consultations for newly proposed OHL routes optionsD4, D5, E2, E3 and F1.3:
- D4 & D5 - Laurencekirk to the Proposed Hurlie Substation (at Fetteresso)
- E2 & E3 - Proposed Hurlie Substation to Rickarton
- F1.3 - River Dee to Coldstream, by Drumoak
- An update on all other OHL proposed routes, including refined routes following our consultations in May 2023.
If you are unable to attend any of the planned in-person events, all the material that will be on display can also be downloaded from the project documents section of the dedicated project websites at the start of the consultation period.
Please access the individual project pages here:
- Hurlie 400kV substation
- Tealing (Emmock) 400kV substation
- Kintore-Tealing 400kV OHL
- Tealing-Westfield 400kV upgrade
- Alyth-Tealing 400kV upgrade
All events will run from 2-7pm.
Please find the full event list below
Tealing-Westfield and Alyth-Tealing 400kV upgrade
4 March 2024 Errol, Errol Village Hall, North Bank Dykes, Errol, PH2 7QH
5 March 2024 Newburgh, Tayside Institute Community Centre, 90-92 High Street, Newburgh, KY14 6DA
6 March 2024 Alyth, Alyth Town Hall, Victoria Street, Alyth, PH11 8AX
7 March 2024 Tealing, Tealing Village Hall, Hall Road, Inveraldie, Tealing, DD4 0QW
Tealing (Emmock) substation
7 March 2024 Tealing, Tealing Village Hall, Hall Road, Inveraldie, Tealing, DD4 0QW
Kintore-Tealing 400kV OHL update events
5 March Tannadice, Memus Community Hall, Memus, DD8 3TY
6 March Forfar, Reid Hall, 163 Castle Street, Forfar, DD8 3HX
7 March Tealing, Tealing Village Hall, Hall Road, Inveraldie, Tealing, DD4 0QW
12 March Brechin, Brechin City Hall, 9 Swan Street, Brechin, DD9 6EE
13 March Echt, Echt Hall, Echt, Westhill, AB32 6UL
Hurlie substation
19 March Drumlithie, Drumlithie Village Hall, Station Road, Drumlithie, AB39 3YT
Kintore-Tealing 400kV new route consultation
14 March Laurencekirk, Dickson Memorial Hall, Station Road, Laurencekirk, AB30 1BE
19 March Drumlithie, Drumlithie Village Hall, Station Road, Drumlithie, AB39 3YT
20 March Drumoak, Drumoak, Durris & Crathes Bowling Club, Sunnyside Avenue, Drumaok, AB31 5EF
21 March Auchenblae, Auchenblae Village Hall, Monboddo Street, Auchenblae, AB30 1XQ
Following the events held in May 2023, many enquiries we received were about the need for the projects, the engagement process, environmental considerations, and what alternative technologies may be available. We have compiled ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ to address many of these points which can be viewed here.
Please do not hesitate to contact us via the dedicated project inbox, tkup@sse.com if you have any questions on the events or the project in general.
Webinar: Update on ‘Pathway to 2030’ Projects
The recording of the event and slide packs are available below for those who were unable to attend.
Report on Consultation
Our Reports on Consultation across our three new overhead line projects and associated substation and convertor station developments have now been published. These reports provide a summary of the extensive feedback received during consultation, how this has been considered and confirmation of which routes and substations are now being taken forward to the next stage of development.
Our Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab.
Summary Reports on Consultation are also available for each of the three schemes and can be downloaded below:
- Summary Report on Consultation Beauly to Peterhead
- Summary Report on Consultation Spittal to Beauly
- Summary Report on Consultation Kintore to Tealing
A stakeholder webinar available for all to join will be held in the coming weeks to share the changes informed by the feedback. More information about the forthcoming webinar will be shared on our events page shortly.
In further recognition of community feedback, we will seek to rationalise cumulative infrastructure impacts through the removal and undergrounding of existing transmission lines, where technically practical and appropriate, and subject to all necessary planning consents and landowner agreements.
Work to identify and assess potential sections of existing overhead line where their removal will reduce cumulative impacts is ongoing, with an update expected as part of the next round of public consultation on overhead line alignments and more detailed substation designs in early 2024.
We would once again like to thank all stakeholders who took the time to engage with our early consultation process. We will continue to engage with stakeholders ahead of consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine our proposals.
Report on Consultation
Over the course of this year, we have undertaken extensive consultation on plans to upgrade the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland and have received a considerable amount of feedback from a wide range of stakeholders regarding our proposals.
We recently advised in our next steps for 2030 network developments update that following assessment of consultation feedback and additional options analysis, we would publish our Report on Consultations (RoCs). These reports provide a summary of the feedback received and how it has been considered, which options we will take forward to the next stage of the development process and any changes to options initially consulted on.
It is our intention to publish the RoCs for this project in the coming months. All stakeholders signed up for updates on the project will receive a link to the report and we will also issue Summary Reports to help ensure accessibility.
These Report on Consultations mark the completion of the first round of non-statutory consultation, where we sought feedback on the corridor, route, and substation locations. We will be consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine the projects, therefore we welcome an open channel of communication and would like to reassure all stakeholders that there will be further opportunities to engage on this project.
Our Reports on Consultation and Summary Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab.
SSEN Transmission sets out next steps for Pathway to 2030 network developments
We have announced our next steps for our Pathway to 2030 programme of projects. We would like to thank everyone who has engaged with our teams and kindly taken the time to respond to our consultations.
Full details of the announcement can be found here:
Next steps for Pathway to 2030
Feedback period closed
Further engagement with affected communities and wider stakeholders will continue beyond this consultation deadline, particularly in areas of local sensitivity, to help with our ongoing project development. The outcomes of the consultation exercise will be reported publicly in a Report on Consultation.
Throughout the development phase we will continue to engage with stakeholders and intend to hold a second public consultation event towards the end of the year.
Work underway to explore alternative potential site for new Fiddes substation
If an alternative potential site is identified, further work will also be required to identify alternative potential overhead line routes and there would be further public consultation on this as part of the ongoing development of the project.
We expect to have an update on our expanded site selection process by October. If you have any questions in relation to this update please get in touch with the Community Liaison Manager for this project, whose details can be accessed via the Fiddes 400kV substation project webpage.
Feedback period extension
We would also like to reassure stakeholders that no decisions have yet been taken on potential overhead line routes or substation locations and the project remains at the early stages of development. All feedback received through the consultation will be carefully considered to help inform the ongoing development of this project.
If you have been unable to attend one of our consultation events, you can find all of the relevant consultation documentation within the project documents tab on this webpage.
Public consultation events - May 2023
We are pleased to be hosting both face to face public consultations along with a virtual online consultation exhibition to gain views and feedback on our proposals for the East Coast 400kV phase 2 scheme, which the proposed new Fiddes 400kV substation project is part of.
We would encourage members of the local communities and all interested parties to attend the events, meet the proejct team and and give their views and provide feedback. The face to face consultations will be held at the following locations:
2 May at Milne Hall, Kirkton of Skene between 2-7pm
3 May at Ardoe House Hotel in the Ogston Suite between 2-7pm
4 May at Dickson Hall, Laurencekirk between 2-7pm
9 May at Brechin City Hall, Brechin between 2-7pm
10 May at Westmuir Hall, Kirriemuir between 2-7pm
11 May at Tealing Village Hall, Tealing between 2-7pm
The virtual consultation event will be taking place on:
17 May between 4-6pm
Click here to enter our virtual consultation room
Should you have any questions regarding the consultations please contact the projects Community Liaison Manager.
Initial response to consultation
Following an initial review of the feedback received so far, SSEN Transmission has published an initial response to address some of the key themes which have been identified. Once the feedback period closes, a detailed Report on Consultation will also be published to explain how feedback has been considered to inform the more detailed network design.
The consultation period remains open and we continue to encourage anyone with an interest in the project to share their views by Friday 23 June.
The initial response to consultation is available to be downloaded from the project documents section of this website.
Public Consultation Feedback Period Extension
Additionally for anyone that wasn't able to attend any of the in person events and would like a copy of the booklet which contains all the information displayed we have distributed copies to the following local businesses:
Farm to Table, Westerton Of Pitarrow, Laurencekirk.
Spar Cetras Energy UK, 3 Academy Street, Forfar, DD8 2XF.
May 2023 consultation feedback
Our public consultation will remain open until 23 June, and we would welcome all interested parties to submit their views regarding the proposals presented during consultation. Once the consultation period closes all feedback will be assessed and considered, to help determine next steps required ahead of route determination.
Our virtual consultation portal will remain available throughout the consultation period via the following link. The portal contains links to download the consultation booklet and copies of the maps, however these are also available to download via the 'Project Documents' section on the left hand side of this page.
2023 public consultations
A drop-in event will be arranged in the Fiddes area where we will welcome all interested parties to come meet our project development team, learn more about the project, ask any questions and share your feedback. Information on the consultation date and location will be shared in the New Year.
In the meantime to learn more about the project an information booklet is availabe to be downloaded from the project documents section of this website and to hear from our Senior Development Project Manager Calum describe the approach we are taking to develop our proposals and the opportunities that will be available for stakeholders to feed in to the design process please view our short video here.
Project Documents
March 2024 public consultation documents
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March 2024 public consultation booklet
- Type:
- Date:
- 05 March 2024
- Size:
- 5.4 MB
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March 2024 Consultation Dates.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 05 March 2024
- Size:
- 680.2 KB
Report on Consultation
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Report on Consultation Engagement Slides - Kintore to Tealing and substations.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 15 December 2023
- Size:
- 7.1 MB
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Report on Consultation - Fiddes 400kV Substation.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 4.4 MB
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RoC - Fiddes 400kV Substation - Figure 4.1- Proposed Hurlie Site.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.5 MB
Next steps for Pathway to 2030 network developments
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The challenges with undergrounding at 400kV
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 March 2024
- Size:
- 424.8 KB
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Delivering a Postive Environmental Legacy Booklet
- Type:
- Date:
- 12 February 2024
- Size:
- 5 MB
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Delivering a Lasting Legacy Leaflet
- Type:
- Date:
- 12 February 2024
- Size:
- 2.2 MB
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How has the need for Pathway to 2030 projects been assessed and determined
- Type:
- Date:
- 14 November 2023
- Size:
- 5.1 MB
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SSEN Transmission sets out next steps for 2030 network developments
- Type:
- Date:
- 11 October 2023
- Size:
- 122.3 KB
May 2023 public consultation documents
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East Coast 400kV Phase 2 Initial consultation feedback response June 2023
- Type:
- Date:
- 13 June 2023
- Size:
- 314.8 KB
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Consultation Document Fiddes Substation Site Selection
- Type:
- Date:
- 17 May 2023
- Size:
- 9.6 MB
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May 2023 public consultation information booklet
- Type:
- Date:
- 19 April 2023
- Size:
- 19.4 MB
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Route sections A-F constraint maps
- Type:
- Date:
- 19 April 2023
- Size:
- 24.4 MB
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Corridor options
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 4.4 MB
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Fiddes substation site selection
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 4.2 MB
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Preferred corridor
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 5.6 MB
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Preferred route
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 5.3 MB
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Route options
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 5.4 MB
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Route options section A
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 4.4 MB
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Route options section B
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 5.8 MB
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Route options section C
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 6 MB
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Route options section D
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 4.5 MB
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Route options section E
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 6.1 MB
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Route options section F
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 6.3 MB
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Tealing substation site selection
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 April 2023
- Size:
- 4.4 MB
Project documents
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Delivering a positive environmental legacy
- Type:
- Date:
- 28 April 2023
- Size:
- 5 MB
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2023 Public Consultation Times
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- Date:
- 06 April 2023
- Size:
- 147.2 KB
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Grantors Charter
- Type:
- Date:
- 15 March 2023
- Size:
- 176.2 KB
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East Coast 400kV Phase 2 Information Booklet
- Type:
- Date:
- 13 December 2022
- Size:
- 4.4 MB
Project FAQs
Who we are
About the Pathway to 2030 projects
Our approach to routeing and public consultation
Environmental considerations
Communities and landowner considerations
Cost and engineering considerations
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Latest Links
-
Report on Consultation
Our Reports on Consultation across our three new overhead line projects and associated substation and convertor station developments have now been published. These reports provide a summary of the extensive feedback received during consultation, how this has been considered and confirmation of which routes and substations are now being taken forward to the next stage of development.
Our Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab.
Summary Reports on Consultation are also available for each of the three schemes and can be downloaded below:
- Summary Report on Consultation Spittal to Beauly
- Summary Report on Consultation Beauly to Peterhead
- Summary Report on Consultation Kintore to Tealing
A stakeholder webinar available for all to join will be held in the coming weeks to share the changes informed by the feedback. More information about the forthcoming webinar will be shared on our events page shortly.
In further recognition of community feedback, we will seek to rationalise cumulative infrastructure impacts through the removal and undergrounding of existing transmission lines, where technically practical and appropriate, and subject to all necessary planning consents and landowner agreements.
Work to identify and assess potential sections of existing overhead line where their removal will reduce cumulative impacts is ongoing, with an update expected as part of the next round of public consultation on overhead line alignments and more detailed substation designs in early 2024.
We would once again like to thank all stakeholders who took the time to engage with our early consultation process. We will continue to engage with stakeholders ahead of consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine our proposals.
-
Report on Consultation
Over the course of this year, we have undertaken extensive consultation on plans to upgrade the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland and have received a considerable amount of feedback from a wide range of stakeholders regarding our proposals.
We recently advised in our next steps for 2030 network developments update that following assessment of consultation feedback and additional options analysis, we would publish our Report on Consultations (RoCs). These reports provide a summary of the feedback received and how it has been considered, which options we will take forward to the next stage of the development process and any changes to options initially consulted on.
It is our intention to publish the RoCs during the week commencing 27 November. All stakeholders signed up for updates on the project will receive a link to the report and we will also issue Summary Reports to help ensure accessibility.
These Report on Consultations mark the completion of the first round of non-statutory consultation, where we sought feedback on the corridor, route, and substation locations. We will be consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine the projects, therefore we welcome an open channel of communication and would like to reassure all stakeholders that there will be further opportunities to engage on this project.
Our Reports on Consultation and Summary Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab. -
SSEN Transmission sets out next steps for Pathway to 2030 network developments
We have announced our next steps for our Pathway to 2030 programme of projects. We would like to thank everyone who has engaged with our teams and kindly taken the time to respond to our consultations.
Full details of the announcement can be found here:
Next steps for Pathway to 2030