Overview
New Fanellan substation and converter station consultation events and feedback
Thank you to all stakeholders who recently attended our first of two rounds of statutory public events following the submission of our Proposal of Application Notice to The Highland Council. The first round of events took place on Tuesday 26 March and Thursday 28 March 2024.
The feedback period is open until Thursday 9 May 2024 and feedback can be submitted online through the link at the top of this page.
The events were hosted by the project team and were an opportunity for stakeholders to see our progress to date, speak with the project team who were keen to listen to comments and feedback to implement where possible into the design refinement of the project.
Click here to view a 3D flythrough of the proposed substation
Video contains indicative OHL tower positions. These will be subject to change as design is progressed and for illustration purposes only at this time.
Red Line Boundary Clarification and Assurances
We are aware of the concerns that have arisen following the recent submission of our Proposal of Application Notices and would like to provide some clarity on the process and reassure local residents that our designs and requirements for each site have not significantly changed from what has been shown to date.
We, like other developers, are required to submit a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to the appropriate planning authority for large infrastructure projects, such as our substation projects, where they are classed as “Major” or National Developments under the Town and Country Planning regime. The PAN must be issued a minimum of 12 weeks prior to a planning application being submitted and must provide a location plan, including a general development area (PAN boundary), together with confirmation of the details of two rounds of public consultation events.
As well as the actual substation site footprint, the PAN boundary has to include all other site requirements, including any temporary site compounds, temporary and permanent drainage, site access and on-site parking, laydown and storage areas for materials and excavated soils, as well as hard and soft landscaping proposals. Many of these requirements will be temporary, during the construction phase, and will be permanently removed upon completion of the project. The PAN boundary, therefore, does not represent the permanent footprint of the substation itself but indicates the full development area.
At our initial site selection consultations in 2023 we provided an illustration of what each proposed substation may look like once completed and their respective locations, but these did not detail the temporary construction requirements, nor any permanent landscaping, drainage or accesses. At that time these elements had not yet been designed and therefore the full extent of construction works, which would be used to inform a planning application red line boundary, could not be shown. The substation footprint at this time is unlikely to differ significantly from those initial illustrations. The full layout of the proposed development will be presented at the upcoming public consultation events on 26 and 28 March where members of the public will be able to comment on our proposals.
Map with permanent requirements here.
About the Project
In order to support the continued growth in onshore and offshore renewables across the north of Scotland, supporting the country's drive towards Net Zero, investment in network infrastructure is needed to connect this renewable power and transport it from source to areas of demand across the country.
Extensive studies have confirmed the need to reinforce the onshore transmission infrastructure between Spittal to Beauly and Beauly to Peterhead, the need for a subsea cable between Spittal and Peterhead, and a subsea/onshore cable between Beauly and the Western Isles.
To enable these reinforcements, a new 400kV substation is required within a 10km radius of Beauly and will connect to:
- A new Beauly Area HVDC Converter Station
- The existing Beauly/Wester Balblair 400kV Substation
- The existing Beauly - Denny 400kV Overhead Line
- A new 400kV connection between Spittal and Beauly
- A new 400kV connection between Beauly and Peterhead
Find Out More About Spittal - Loch Buidhe - Beauly 400kV Connection
Find Out More About Beauly - Blackhillock - New Deer - Peterhead 400kV Connection
This video outlines how the project contributes to our role in delivering Net Zero.
Pathway to 2030
The Pathway to 2030, published by National Grid ESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain, sets the blueprint for the electricity transmission network infrastructure required to enable the forecasted growth in renewable electricity across Great Britain.
The projects identified within the Pathway to 2030 are critical to delivering the UK and Scottish Government’s offshore wind targets. To deliver these targets, we are investing over £10bn to upgrade the network infrastructure across the north of Scotland as the region plays a leading role in the clean energy transition.
As part of this investment, there is a requirement for a new 400kV substation in the Beauly area.
Stakeholder Engagement
The New Fanellan 400kV substation and Converter Station project is currently in the development stages and is subject to extensive consultation with stakeholders.
In this video, Rebecca Gay and Martin Godwin, Project Manager and Community Liaison Manager for the Spittal to Beauly Overhead Line Project, describe the approach we are taking in developing our proposals and the opportunities that are available for stakeholders to feed into the design process.
How we’re embracing artificial intelligence (AI)
We intend to use AI to assist our experienced teams in the analysis of your feedback, so we can categorise key points raised more quickly. You can learn more about how we’re utilising AI on this dedicated web page.
Project Updates
Project updates
Project Documents
Pre-Application Consultation Documents (PAC)
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Western Isles Connection Handout.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 18 March 2024
- Size:
- 6.7 MB
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Fanellan red line boundary with permanent site requirements, February 2024.pdf
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- Date:
- 14 March 2024
- Size:
- 19.4 MB
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Beauly Area Pathway to 2030 projects overview.pdf
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- Date:
- 14 March 2024
- Size:
- 2.2 MB
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Proposal of application boundary map showing indicative permanent requirments.pdf
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- Date:
- 14 March 2024
- Size:
- 3.2 MB
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Fanellan poster.pdf
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- Date:
- 13 March 2024
- Size:
- 69.1 KB
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Overview of environmental features and designations in the wider area.pdf
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- Date:
- 13 March 2024
- Size:
- 5.3 MB
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Fanellan Consultation Banners.pdf
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- Date:
- 13 March 2024
- Size:
- 9.2 MB
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Fanellan Consultation Booklet.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 13 March 2024
- Size:
- 16.5 MB
Next steps for Pathway to 2030 network developments
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The challenges with undergrounding at 400kV
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- Date:
- 18 March 2024
- Size:
- 424.8 KB
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Delivering a Postive Environmental Legacy Booklet
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- Date:
- 12 February 2024
- Size:
- 5 MB
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Delivering a Lasting Legacy Leaflet
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- Date:
- 12 February 2024
- Size:
- 2.2 MB
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How has the need for Pathway to 2030 projects been assessed and determined
- Type:
- Date:
- 14 November 2023
- Size:
- 5.1 MB
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SSEN Transmission sets out next steps for 2030 network developments
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- Date:
- 11 October 2023
- Size:
- 122.3 KB
Project Documents
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Nov 23 CLG Project updates and Meeting Notes.pdf
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- Date:
- 14 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.7 MB
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Nov 23 CLG RoC preview Summary and Meeting Notes.pdf
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- Date:
- 14 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.7 MB
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Beauly CLG - Beauly Substation Workshop - Nov 23.pdf
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- Date:
- 05 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.2 MB
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Aug CLG meeting notes Final.pdf
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- Date:
- 23 November 2023
- Size:
- 8.7 MB
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Beauly 400kV Substation Hub_Site Selection_Consultation Document Sep 2023.pdf
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- Date:
- 05 October 2023
- Size:
- 5 MB
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Final Beauly CLG Meeting Notes June 2023.pdf
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- Date:
- 07 September 2023
- Size:
- 3.3 MB
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Beauly CLG Meeting Notes April 2023.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 27 July 2023
- Size:
- 2.1 MB
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Beauly CLG Meeting Notes Feb 2023.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 27 July 2023
- Size:
- 1.3 MB
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Beauly CLG Meeting Notes November 2022.pdf
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- Date:
- 27 July 2023
- Size:
- 852.8 KB
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Beauly CLG Meeting Notes August 2022.pdf
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- Date:
- 27 July 2023
- Size:
- 1.1 MB
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Consultation Report - Spittal - Loch Buidhe - Beauly - July 23.pdf
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- Date:
- 13 July 2023
- Size:
- 1.3 MB
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Spittal - Beauly Consultation response May 2023.pdf
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- Date:
- 17 May 2023
- Size:
- 166.2 KB
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Spittal-Loch Buidhe-Beauly initial consultation feedback response 28.03.23.pdf
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- Date:
- 28 March 2023
- Size:
- 199.9 KB
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Beauly Main Site Options Map with Legend.pdf
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- Date:
- 01 March 2023
- Size:
- 70.5 MB
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Consultation Booklet (Spittal - Loch Buidhe - Beauly 400kV).pdf
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- Date:
- 17 February 2023
- Size:
- 67.3 MB
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Public Consultation Poster - Feb/March 2023
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- Date:
- 06 February 2023
- Size:
- 101 KB
Reports on Consultation
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RoC - New Beauly Area 400kV Substation - Figure 2 - Proposed Site.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 1.6 MB
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Report on Consultation - New Beauly Area 400kV Substation and HVDC Converter Station.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.3 MB
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Summary ROC - Spittal to Beauly.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 4.8 MB
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Summary ROC - Beauly to Peterhead.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 2.8 MB
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RoC - Beauly - Peterhead OHL - Figure 4.10 Proposed Route to be taken to Alignment.pdf
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- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 5.8 MB
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RoC - Beauly - Peterhead OHL - Figure 1.1 - Route Options Shared at Consultations.pdf
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- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 10.6 MB
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RoC - Beauly - Peterhead OHL - Preferred Route with Amendments.pdf
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- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 14.1 MB
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RoC - Beauly to Spittal OHL - Figure 1 - Route Options Presented at Consultation.pdf
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- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 6.7 MB
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RoC - Beauly to Spittal OHL - Figure 2 - Proposed Route options to take forward to alignment phase.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 6.1 MB
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Report on Consultation - Spittal to Loch Buidhe to Beauly Overhead Line.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 3.2 MB
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Report on Consultation - Beauly to Blackhillock to New Deer to Peterhead 400kV OHL.pdf
- Type:
- Date:
- 01 December 2023
- Size:
- 3.9 MB
Project FAQs
Who we are
About the Pathway to 2030 projects
Our approach to routeing and public consultation
Environmental considerations
Communities and landowner considerations
Cost and engineering considerations
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Latest Links
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Report on Consultation
Our Reports on Consultation across our three new overhead line projects and associated substation and convertor station developments have now been published. These reports provide a summary of the extensive feedback received during consultation, how this has been considered and confirmation of which routes and substations are now being taken forward to the next stage of development.
Our Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab.
Summary Reports on Consultation are also available for each of the three schemes and can be downloaded below:
- Summary Report on Consultation Spittal to Beauly
- Summary Report on Consultation Beauly to Peterhead
- Summary Report on Consultation Kintore to Tealing
A stakeholder webinar available for all to join will be held in the coming weeks to share the changes informed by the feedback. More information about the forthcoming webinar will be shared on our events page shortly.
In further recognition of community feedback, we will seek to rationalise cumulative infrastructure impacts through the removal and undergrounding of existing transmission lines, where technically practical and appropriate, and subject to all necessary planning consents and landowner agreements.
Work to identify and assess potential sections of existing overhead line where their removal will reduce cumulative impacts is ongoing, with an update expected as part of the next round of public consultation on overhead line alignments and more detailed substation designs in early 2024.
We would once again like to thank all stakeholders who took the time to engage with our early consultation process. We will continue to engage with stakeholders ahead of consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine our proposals.
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Report on Consultation
Over the course of this year, we have undertaken extensive consultation on plans to upgrade the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland and have received a considerable amount of feedback from a wide range of stakeholders regarding our proposals.
We recently advised in our next steps for 2030 network developments update that following assessment of consultation feedback and additional options analysis, we would publish our Report on Consultations (RoCs). These reports provide a summary of the feedback received and how it has been considered, which options we will take forward to the next stage of the development process and any changes to options initially consulted on.
It is our intention to publish the RoCs during the week commencing 27 November. All stakeholders signed up for updates on the project will receive a link to the report and we will also issue Summary Reports to help ensure accessibility.
These Report on Consultations mark the completion of the first round of non-statutory consultation, where we sought feedback on the corridor, route, and substation locations. We will be consulting further with local communities and stakeholders in the new year, as we look to refine the projects, therefore we welcome an open channel of communication and would like to reassure all stakeholders that there will be further opportunities to engage on this project.
Our Reports on Consultation and Summary Reports on Consultation are now available to download from the Project Documentation tab. -
SSEN Transmission sets out next steps for Pathway to 2030 network developments
We have announced our next steps for our Pathway to 2030 programme of projects. We would like to thank everyone who has engaged with our teams and kindly taken the time to respond to our consultations.
Full details of the announcement can be found here:
Next steps for Pathway to 2030