Alignment Public Consultations 

Following virtual consultations that we held in June 2020 where we presented our preferred route for the replacement overhead line (OHL) that runs from Fort Augustus to Ardmore in the north of Skye, we are pleased to now be hosting the next round of consultations where we will present our proposed alignment.

Over the last 12 months following the feedback we received from the 2020 events, we have been carrying out detailed design work and engineering assessments to identify a suitable alignment for the replacement line.

In response to stakeholder feedback, we have been actively exploring potential mitigations, including assessing the potential for undergrounding as the line passes the Cuillin Hills and where it connects to Fort Augustus substation; and alternative routes as it passes Kylerhea.

With this work now complete, we are now presenting the findings of the engineering and assessment work and seeking feedback from the local community and all interested parties on our proposals.

In addition, we are also consulting on our proposed extensions to Broadford and Edinbane substations required as part of the wider OHL works.  A separate section of the consultation event will be dedicated to each substation, and we encourage feedback on these proposals.

These next round of public consultations are both face to face along with a virtual online consultation exhibition and we welcome community members and all interested parties to visit either one of the face to face events or attend one of our virtual online consultations to see how the project has developed and give feedback on our proposed alignment and ask any questions about the Skye Reinforcement Project.

The open-door drop-in face to face consultations will be held at the following locations:

Tuesday 28 September between 3-7pm at Dunvegan Hall, Dunvegan

Wednesday 29 September between 3-7pm at Broadford Village Hall, Broadford

Thursday 30 September between 3-7pm at Glenelg Community Hall, Glenelg

Monday 4 October between 3-7pm at Kyleakin Community Hall, Kyleakin

Tuesday 5 October between 3-7pm at Glengarry Community Hall, Invergarry

Wednesday 6 October between 3-7pm at Fort Augustus Village Hall,
Fort Augustus

If you are unable to attend any of the above dates, the virtual online consultation will be held on:

Wednesday 13 October between 1-3pm and 5-7pm

Project Elements

To facilitate the known connection requirements, the main elements of the proposed development solution are required:

• From Fort Augustus substation to Broadford substation, it is proposed to construct a new double circuit 132kV overhead line (OHL) comprising steel structures. The existing Fort Augustus to Skye Tee 132kV trident wood pole OHL, and the existing 132kV steel lattice OHL between Skye Tee and Broadford would be dismantled and removed once the new OHL is operational;

• Between Broadford substation and Edinbane substation, the existing single circuit wood pole trident 132kV OHL would be replaced with a new double circuit 132kV OHL comprising steel structures. The existing OHL would be dismantled and removed once the new OHL is operational;

• Between Edinbane substation and Ardmore substation, the existing single circuit wood pole trident 132kV OHL would be replaced with a new higher capacity132kV trident wood pole OHL. During construction, the existing OHL and its replacement would run in tandem but on energisation of the new OHL, the existing OHL would be dismantled and removed.