Electricity cable between Orkney and Caithness to be replaced
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A new subsea cable will be laid between Orkney and Caithness after faults were found with the connection.
The Pentland Firth East cable was identified for replacement after routine inspections found it was coming to the end of its operational life, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said.
It expects to begin work on the £30 million cable replacement project, which received marine licence approval from Marine Scotland earlier this week, once the cable arrives on July 15.
The 33kV cable will follow the existing route from Murkle Bay, near Thurso, to Rackwick Bay on the Orkney island of Hoy.
The subsea cable replacement work will be undertaken by principal contractor, Global Offshore.
SSEN says some sections of overhead line on Hoy will be removed as part of the works, with the timings planned to avoid construction during the bird breeding season on the island.
Mark Rough, director of customer operations, SSEN, said: “We’re committed to ensuring a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to our customers and this critical investment project is an essential part of that commitment.
“We’d like to thank all stakeholders for their feedback on our proposals during our open-door events last year. Following consultation, we’ve scheduled installation to minimise disruption on local marine life, with the works also planned to avoid the main breeding seasons for key bird populations.
“I’d like to reassure our customers that our teams and contracting partners continue to adhere to social distancing measures and government guidance to protect the safety of the local community as we carry out this significant programme of works.”
In July 2019, SSEN completed repairs to the cable in Rackwick Bay but concluded that a long-term solution was required to maintain a safe, secure and reliable power supply to homes and businesses in Orkney.
