SSEN Transmission has submitted a planning application or a substation hub covering 570 acres near Peterhead.
The proposed site, about 5 miles to the west of the town, is set to accommodate a 400 kV substation, a 132 kV substation, and two high-voltage converter stations. These will support a proposed 2 GW 525 kV HVDC link connecting to Spittal, Caithness, and another thought to be linking to South Humber, England.
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The site includes plans for several buildings, including a transmission hall that could reach heights of up to 100 feet.
The Netherton Hub is a key part of SSEN Transmission‘s £20 billion ‘Pathway to 2030’ investment plan for the north of Scotland’s transmission network. This application follows two years of development and extensive discussions with the local community and other stakeholders, including four in-person meetings attended by over 400 people and more than 100 written responses to the proposals.
The ‘Pathway to 2030’ investment in the north of Scotland’s transmission network is one of the largest in the region, if not the entire country, and is expected to create 20,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, with approximately 9,000 of these jobs in Scotland.
This new hub, located near Longside, to the west of Peterhead, is a crucial component of the investment plan and is set to bring significant economic benefits to the local community and businesses.
After evaluating 13 potential sites, the ‘Netherton Hub’ site was selected due to its suitability for hosting the proposed infrastructure, its minimal environmental impact, and its potential for enhancing biodiversity. The site is also strategically located near existing and planned infrastructure and transportation routes.
Community feedback has influenced the design of the hub. Concerns regarding potential flooding and the visual impact of the hub were raised during the consultation, with local input shaping the plans to address these issues. A significant portion of the site has been allocated for drainage, screening, bunding, and landscaping.
Once completed, the site will feature:
- A 400 kV substation to support both offshore and onshore electricity generation;
- A 132 kV substation to facilitate connections with future generation and storage from third-party developers;
- The Spittal to Peterhead High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter station to enable the transmission of renewable energy from new generators in the north of Scotland to various demand centers across the UK
- The Eastern Green Link 3 HVDC converter station to support the transmission of renewable energy from generators in the north of Scotland to Norfolk and further areas;
- An additional transmission hall to accommodate future infrastructure needs; and – A spares warehouse and operations base.
David Inge, SSEN Transmission’s offshore development portfolio manager and Netherton Hub lead, said:
“After a lot of hard work from the project team, in consultation with communities and other key stakeholders, we are delighted to have reached the point of submitting our planning application to Aberdeenshire Council, seeking approval for the Netherton Hub.
“The proposed development forms a critical part of our £20billion investment programme to upgrade the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland, supporting thousands of jobs and providing an economic boost to the country, all whilst helping to deliver Scotland and the UK’s energy security and clean power targets.
“We would like to thank the local community and wider stakeholders for their constructive engagement with our teams to help inform the development of the Netherton Hub.
“We now look forward to working with Aberdeenshire Council to progress a world leading energy hub that will be critical to delivering a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system for future generations and will provide a significant boost to local and national economies.”
