SSEN Transmission Unveils Finstown Substation to Help Connect Orkney to Great Britain Electricity Transmission Network

SSEN Transmission has inaugurated an electricity substation, Finstown Substation, to help connect Orkney to the Great Britain electricity transmission network for transporting renewable energy to the grid.

At an estimated investment of more than $1,141.49 million, the Orkney-Caithness 220 kV Subsea Link project will witness an installation of a HVAC cable between Orkney and the Scottish mainland to connect up to 220 MW of new renewable electricity to the national grid.

The project will also install around 14 km of underground cable to where it makes landfall at Warebeth, west of Stromness, and 53 km of subsea cable to connect into a new substation at Dounreay in Caithness for connection to be made to the GB electricity transmission network.

While construction is under progress at Finstown, SSEN Transmission’s contractor will begin setting up the temporary welfare compound for their workforce and the company staff before proceeding with earthworks in the area. The Dounreay West substation work, where the subsea cable will make landfall at the Scottish mainland started in summer 2024, while full energization of the project is anticipated in 2028.