Gills Bay Transmission For Marine Generation - Public Exhibition

30th August 2013

FROM SSE

Project information
We are carrying out a number of upgrades to the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland. This work will reinforce the network and provide extra capacity for new generators of electricity wishing to connect.

In March 2010 the Crown Estate leased ‘option areas’ in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters for the establishment of marine generation developments. Two of these leased areas are in close proximity to Gills Bay and have a combined potential generation capacity of 500MW of tidal energy.

As the existing distribution network in the Gills Bay area does not have sufficient capacity to connect the planned marine developments, we are proposing to extend the transmission network into the area.

The proposed upgrade comprises:
the construction of a new 132/33 kilovolt (kV) enclosed electricity substation in the Gills Bay area;
the construction of a new 132kV overhead line on steel lattice towers from Gills Bay to the proposed Thurso South substation.
Each marine generation developer is responsible for bringing their cables ashore and installing any necessary onshore infrastructure to connect to the new substation.

Public consultation
A public consultation document has been published, and is available to download, explaining the need for the proposed upgrade and the work that has been carried out to identify a preferred route and design.

Two public consultation events have been planned to allow members of local communities to meet our project team, ask questions and submit comments during the consultation period. These will be held on:
Thursday 5 September 2013 at Mey Village Hall, 11am-2:30pm and 5pm-7:30pm; and
Friday 6 September 2013 at Caithness Horizons in Thurso, 3pm-7:30pm.
Comments on the document and the material presented at the consultation events can be submitted to our Liaison Manager until Monday 9 September 2013.

See the web site for more information and consultation documents -
http://www.sse.com/GillsBayRadial/ProjectInformation/#