We have recently completed a detailed geophysical and geotechnical survey of a Subsea route between Wick in the North East of Scotland and the Shetland Isles. The survey, conducted by our survey contractor MMT, utilised several vessels working in harsh North Sea winter conditions to deliver high quality data on the 253km long route and elements such as seabed features, sub-bottom conditions and soil analysis. The information from the study will be used to inform a Marine Licence Application for a subsea cable which will be submitted to Marine Scotland later this year, following public consultation events due to be held in both Wick and Lerwick this Spring.

Last week, representatives from our development team supported a renewables focused supply chain event and networking lunch organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in Lerwick. Around 80 representatives from local businesses attended the event to find out further information about the expected economic and social opportunities that proposed renewable projects could bring to Shetland should developers be successful in bidding into next year’s CfD auction. We welcomed the opportunity to engage with attendees and answer questions regarding the needs case process and would encourage all local contractors who are interested in potential opportunities with SSEN to sign up for project updates on our Shetland webpage.

SHE Transmission has now begun the tendering process to appoint a cable supplier for the land and subsea HVDC element of the project. Industry leading suppliers were provided with the opportunity to bid for the contract to both supply and install the 600MW cable. The tendering process involves site visits to both Caithness and Shetland, so that potential contractors can assess how the cable will be installed and subsequently costed whilst also identifying any potential challenges and solutions to the installation. This process will continue throughout this year with the aim of having project costs available for submission to Ofgem in January 2019.

On 23 May, SSEN held a customer engagement event at the Shetland Hotel designed to update stakeholders on the proposed HVDC connection project and the process involved for securing regulatory approval. This forum also afforded developers an opportunity to update SSEN on their plans for projects that may come forward as a result of the proposed connection to the Scottish Mainland. Developers interested in attending the event were encouraged to contact SSEN to confirm their place in advance and the event was well attended with 35 attendees joining the team in discussion. Key themes and issues which emerged from the discussions included the future security of demand on Shetland, with many attendees raising questions in regards to this. The team explained that Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) have identified that with targeted investment, security of supply can be maintained through the existing power station out to 2025 when a more enduring solution will be required. SHEPD has confirmed its allowance requirements to Ofgem for the extension period, and Ofgem is currently consulting on the allowances. In the meantime, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission will continue to progress the case for a transmission link based on the contracted requirements of generators. SSEN were also afforded the opportunity to further test the principles of the alternative approach applied in Orkney on the issues faced by generators in Shetland. Overall, attendees welcomed the principles of ensuring that projects that are ready to connect can access available capacity on the network and welcomed further opportunity to engage on the detail of these proposals; setting out their ambition to take forward generation development should the capacity become available. SSEN will be consulting on the ‘alternative approach’ later in the summer (when more details will be shared via this website) and encourages all parties that are considering development to update us via a Notice of Interest form by close of play 30 June. A number of attendees from Local Suppliers also joined the event to find out more about engaging in any supply chain opportunities that may arise. Whilst the event was primarily focussed on generation activity, the project team are considering holding a ‘meet the buyer’ event in 2019 once the SSEN tender process is concluded due to the high level of local supply chain interest. In the meantime, interested local suppliers can register on SSE’s online procurement portal, Open4Business, for future tender opportunities. Details about the portal can be found here: https://www.sseopen4business-highlands.com/ Information slides shown at the event are available to download from the ‘Project Documents’ tab.

Having recently introduced some fresh faces to our Shetland Project Team, we arranged a site visit earlier this week to introduce ourselves and to provide an update to local stakeholders, Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council and our colleagues in Operations based in Lerwick Power Station. We also took the opportunity to revisit the planned substation location at Upper Kergord, the proposed subsea cable landing point at Weisdale Voe and our engineers took full advantage of the sunny weather by walking the planned cable route between the two. If you would like a copy of the project update presented this week please see the 'Project Documentation' tab for a download of the Power Point.

We have today responded to the UK Government consultation on treatment of non-mainland GB onshore wind projects, to read our response please go to the ‘Project documentation’ section of the project website