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New milestone in £660m Shetland to Caithness subsea cable project


By Alan Hendry

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NKT Victoria in Weisdale Voe, Shetland. Picture: SSEN Transmission
NKT Victoria in Weisdale Voe, Shetland. Picture: SSEN Transmission

Another milestone has been reached in the £660 million project to install a 260km subsea cable between Shetland and Caithness.

SSEN Transmission’s Shetland HVDC link will connect the UK's most northerly island group to the national electricity grid for the first time.

Weisdale Voe was the scene of the latest breakthrough, as the specialist cable-laying vessel NKT Victoria began the task of laying 60km of the HVDC system.

Once built, the link will help secure the islands' future security of supply of low-carbon power and will enable the connection of new renewable electricity generation.

The NKT Victoria lowered the end of the cable which was then pulled onto the shore via previously installed ducts by a winch located on the Weisdale shoreline. Once secured in the transition joint bay, the offshore cable will be jointed to the previously installed HVDC land cable which will then connect to SSEN Transmission’s Kergord HVDC converter station and AC substation.

The HVDC cable being launched from NKT Victoria before being pulled into position at Weisdale Voe. Picture: SSEN Transmission
The HVDC cable being launched from NKT Victoria before being pulled into position at Weisdale Voe. Picture: SSEN Transmission

The NKT Victoria will make her way south out to sea along the designated cable route, slowly lowering around 60km of subsea HVDC cable system onto the seabed. Once the cable is in place there, it will be trenched into position using a construction support vessel with a specialist subsea jet trencher, which will ensure the cables are buried to the correct depth.

Rock placement will also take place at some sections to ensure the cables are protected where trenching is not possible.

The project is split into three campaigns to allow for safe and accurate installation. The first 100km of cable was installed in July last year, with NKT Victoria laying the cable from Noss Head, north of Wick, heading east and then northwards.

The third and final campaign will take place later this year. It will be 100km long and will complete the link between the first and second in the North Sea to join all three together and complete the full 260km subsea link.

One of the NKT Victoria crew members checking the cable. Picture: SSEN Transmission
One of the NKT Victoria crew members checking the cable. Picture: SSEN Transmission

SSEN Transmission’s Shetland HVDC link project director John Scott said: “The arrival of NKT Victoria in Shetland signals yet another major and hugely symbolic milestone in the Shetland HVDC link project.

"It has been great to see the cable make landfall in Shetland as the vessel begins her voyage into the North Sea and kick off the next cable campaign.

“The installation of the subsea cable system is complex and requires significant planning to reach this point. Working with subsea cable experts NKT has enabled this process to take place reliably, safely and to the highest standard.

“The second cable campaign marks an exciting step in the project for SSEN Transmission and our contractors, and we look forward to the completion of this phase of the subsea cable campaign over the coming weeks.

“The Shetland HVDC link is crucial to transporting clean, renewable energy to where it is needed most, ultimately helping us achieve a network for net-zero, alongside securing Shetland’s future security of supply.”

NKT Victoria working in Shetland waters. Picture: SSEN Transmission
NKT Victoria working in Shetland waters. Picture: SSEN Transmission

Claes Westerlind, executive vice-president and head of the NKT high-voltage factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, said: “I am very satisfied that we continue the good collaboration with SSEN Transmission by leveraging our extensive experience within HVDC technology to enable low-carbon power supply to Shetland.”

The link will enable 600MW of renewable electricity generation to connect, including the 457MW Viking Energy wind farm.

The Shetland HVDC link project is on schedule to be completed by summer 2024.


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