Located to the west of Peterhead, SSEN Transmission said its Netherton Hub will play a key role in transforming the electricity network in the north of Scotland in support of national energy security and clean power targets.

The planning application submission follows two years of development and extensive engagement on the project’s design with local community members and other stakeholders, including four face-to-face consultation rounds with over 400 attendees and more than 100 formal responses to proposals.

SSEN Transmission’s ‘Pathway to 2030’ investment programme in the north of Scotland’s transmission network is one of the biggest investments undertaken in the region for decades, if not of all time, and is set to support 20,000 jobs across the UK supply chain, around 9,000 of which will be north of the border. This new hub, near Longside, to the west of Peterhead, is a key element of that investment programme and will provide significant economic opportunities for local people and local businesses.

After an initial 13 potential sites were considered, the ‘Netherton Hub’ site - named to reflect the area’s farming history - was chosen as it presented the best option in terms of its ability to host the proposed infrastructure, whilst exhibiting fewer environmental constraints and offering greater potential for biodiversity net gain. The site is also well located in terms of its proximity to existing and proposed infrastructure, as well as transport routes.

Community feedback has fed into the design of the hub. Concerns around potential issues with flooding, and the hub’s visual impact, were expressed throughout the consultation process – with local insight helping to shape the plans that aim to mitigate against those concerns, and a significant portion of land on the site allocated for drainage, screening, bunding and landscaping.

Once complete, the site will comprise:

• A 400kV substation to support offshore and onshore electricity generation;
• A 132kV substation to support further future generation and storage connections from third party developers;
• The Spittal to Peterhead High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter station to support the transmission of renewable energy from new generators in the north of Scotland to demand centres throughout 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 beyond;
• A further transmission hall, with capacity for more infrastructure to future proof the growing network; 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 £20bn 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.”