Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

Our licence stipulates that we must develop and maintain an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of electricity transmission.

What is the difference between Transmission and Distribution?Electricity Transmission is the transportation of electricity from generating plants to where it is required at centres of demand.

The Electricity Transmission network, or grid, transports electricity at very high voltages through overhead wires, underground cables and subsea cables. The transmission network connects large scale generation, primarily renewables, to central and southern Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.

The Electricity Distribution network is connected into the Transmission network but the voltage is lowered by transformers at electricity substations, and the power is then distributed to homes and businesses through overhead lines or underground cables.

Overview of Transmission projects

Who we are

Other SSE Businesses

Scottish Hydro Electric

Transmission Plc (SHE Transmission)

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution Plc

(SHEPD)

Southern Electric Power

Distribution(SEPD)

Overview of Transmission projects

Existing infrastructureCompleted Under construction Potential developmentAdvanced planning

Aberdeen

Peterhead

Kintore

Moray Firth

Blackhillock

Denny

Kincardine

Arran

HunterstonKintyre

Perth

Dounreay

Orkney

Spittal

TomatinFort Augustus

Fort William

Dalmally

Gills Bay

Western Isles

Shetland

Beauly

Mossford

SkyeKnocknagael

Lairg

Loch Buidhe(Bonar Bridge)

Mybster

Existing infrastructure

Completed

Under construction

Potential development

Advanced planning

Overview of Transmission projects

Existing infrastructureCompleted Under construction Potential developmentAdvanced planning

Aberdeen

Peterhead

Kintore

Moray Firth

Blackhillock

DennyKincardine

Arran

HunterstonKintyre

Perth

Dounreay

Orkney

Spittal

TomatinFort Augustus

Fort William

Dalmally

Gills Bay

Western Isles

Shetland

Beauly

Mossford

Skye Knocknagael

Lairg

Loch Buidhe(Bonar Bridge)

Mybster

We are part of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, operating under licence as Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Plc for the transmission of electricity in the north of Scotland.

In total we maintain about 5,000km of overhead lines and underground cables – easily enough to stretch across the Atlantic from John O’Groats all the way to Boston in the USA.

Our network crosses some of the UK’s most challenging terrain – including circuits that are buried under the seabed, are located over 750m above sea level and up to 250km long.

The landscape and environment that contribute to the challenges we face also give the area a rich resource for renewable energy generation. There is a high demand to connect from new wind, hydro and marine generators which rely on Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks to provide a physical link between the new sources of power and electricity users. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is delivering a major programme of investment to ensure that the network is ready to meet the needs of our customers in the future.

Our responsibilities As we are the only company that owns an electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland we are closely regulated by the energy regulator Ofgem. We are issued with a licence to operate and we must adhere to the terms of the licence. For this reason we operate on a very separate basis to other SSE businesses.

We are the licensed owner of the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland. Operating under license means that we have certain obligations that we must fulfil. These obligations include maintaining the existing network to ensure that the lights stay on and investing in the network to provide the infrastructure needed to allow generation developments to connect it.

The transmission network gathers energy in from power stations, hydro-electric generation schemes and wind farms and carries it to areas where it is to be used. We work with the Transmission System Operator, National Grid, who is responsible for operating the transmission network across the whole of Great Britain, to make sure that power flows smoothly and reliably across our network.

A request has been made to National Grid by the developer of Tom nan Clach wind farm to provide a grid connection to connect the wind farm to the transmission network. We are currently contracted to provide a 132kV connection spanning from the consented wind farm substation to the proposed 132/275kV Tomatin substation, near Garbole.

Project Overview Tom nan Clach

May 2017

Construction starts

September 2018

Completion of connection

Project Timeline – Tom nan Clach

April – August 2016

Environmental Surveys on preferred route

August 2015 – April 2016

Route optioneering

August – September 2016

EIA Screening Opinion Request

Pre-application consultation with The Highland Council

September 2016

Pre Application Consultation – public exhibitions to present preferred route

October 2016

Consultation period ends

Submission of Section 37 consent application

Late 2016 – Early 2017

Consent Decision

Discharge of pre-development Conditions

Project Description The proposed high level project timescales are:

Route Options Tom nan Clach

substation and cross the A9 near the Slochd Summit, before passing south of Carn a’ Garbh choire. T2 crosses to the north side of the River Findhorn and the existing line near Mid Morile and it follows the existing line on the north side of Strathdearn until it terminates at the proposed Tomatin Substation. Variation T2a follows the same route as T2 up to Carn a’ Garbh choire; before it follows a route on high ground to the south of Strathdearn, crossing the River Findhorn close to Garbole before terminating at the proposed Tomatin Substation.

A number of alternative route options (T4, T4a, T5 and T5a) for the section between Corrybrough and Mid Morile were considered, all of which would be constructed with underground cable.

All alternatives are illustrated below.

The options analysis indicated that a combination of wood pole overhead transmission line and underground cable would be the most economically and environmentally desirable solution.

Initial investigations were carried out to identify initial corridor options based on the following key considerations:

• Avoidance, where possible, of primary environmental constraints;

• Minimising exposure to high altitudes (circa 500m);

• Avoidance, or identification of most suitable crossing locations, of major transportation infrastructure;

• Proximity to access tracks and highways;

• Configuration of and approach to termination points;

• Identification of main topographical and geotechnical features; and

• General landscape and visual amenity (backcloth and screening)

Route OptionsRoute options (T2 and T2a) were considered to provide the entire connection using overhead line. Both options begin at the consented Tom nan Clach wind farm

Tomatin

A9

Preferred Route Our preferred route proposal is considered as the most technically efficient and economic connection which gives consideration to:

• The least disruption to the amenity of people living and working in the area;

• The least impact on the physical and natural environment, and on nationally important species, habitats and cultural assets;

• The least disruption to current land use and management practices; and

• The least disruption to existing and proposed infrastructure.

The preferred grid connection route begins at the consented Tom nan Clach wind farm substation, at approximately 530m AOD. The first section would be a wood pole OHL and follows a route predominantly adjacent to forestry and through upland moor for 7.4km. The underground cable starts at Corrybrough and would route along the edge of Soilshan Wood and under

the A9 and the River Findhorn for 4.2km. The southern section of the wood pole OHL begins just north of the Dell Farm and follows a route predominantly through forestry for 5.2km. It passes north of the Kyllachy house and terminates at the proposed Tomatin Substation. The overall route length is 16.8km.

This proposed route was based on:

• Technical feasibility of construction;

• Cost;

• Landownership constraints;

• Timescale to consent.

The new wood pole OHL route was chosen to:

• minimise the need for woodland removal, as far as possible;

• avoid the most sensitive areas of deep peat;

• minimise significant effects on known cultural heritage assets; and

• avoid direct effects on any site designated for landscape and ecological importance at a national or local level.

Preferred Route Tom nan Clach

Trident 'H' Wood Pole proposed technology.

A request has been made to National Grid by the developer of Glen Kyllachy wind farm to provide a grid connection to connect the wind farm to the transmission network. As this development is in our licence area, we are currently contracted to provide a 132kV connection spanning from the consented wind farm substation to the proposed 132/275kV Tomatin substation, near Garbole.

The preferred grid connection comprises two sections of underground cable and a wood pole Overhead Transmission Line (OHL). This is considered as the most technically efficient and economic connection route which gives rise to:

• The least disruption to the amenity of people living and working in the area;

• The least impact on the physical and natural environment, and on nationally important species, habitats and cultural assets;

• The least disruption to current land use and management practices; and

• The least disruption to existing and proposed infrastructure.

Starting at the consented Glen Kyllachy wind farm substation, at approximately 445m AOD, the northern section of the connection routes underground through upland moor for 240m. The overhead line begins at the northern edge of the Garbole forest and routes east of the Allt a’ Mharcaidh watercourse through the forestry for 1.55km. The final 900m of the proposed grid connection would be underground cable terminating at the proposed Tomatin Substation, at approximately 430m AOD.

The overall route length is approximately 2.7km.

The new wood pole OHL route was chosen to:

• following existing and consented tracks;

• minimise significant effects on known cultural heritage assets; and

• avoid direct effects on any site designated for landscape and ecological importance at a national or local level.

Project Overview and Preferred Route – Glen Kyllachy

August 2019

Completion of connection

Project Timeline – Glen Kyllachy

September – November 2016

Public consultation event

EIA Screening Opinion request submitted

April – September 2016

Environmental surveys

November – Feb 2017

Finalise Environmental Appraisal

March 2017

Submission of Section 37 consent application

September 2017

Consent Decision

Discharge of pre-development Planning Conditions

Spring 2018

Construction starts

Overview of proposed projects in this area

Knocknagael – Tomatin Additional wind generation to the south of Inverness has triggered the need to reinforce our existing electricity transmission network in the area. The Knocknagael-Tomatin Reinforcement involves the replacement of the majority of an existing overhead line with a new 275kV overhead line between Knocknagael and the proposed substation at Garbole near Tomatin. The existing 132kV overhead line will be removed for much of the length of the route.

Tomatin Substation (near Garbole, Strathdearn)We have submitted a planning application for the substation to which connections will be made to the relevant wind farms. The application is currently under determination by The Highland Council.

Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm ConnectionThis will provide connection between Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm and the proposed substation. Further information is provided on next boards.

Glen Kyllachy Wind Farm ConnectionThe aim of the project is to develop and construct a transmission connection to connect Glen Kyllachy Wind Farm to the proposed substation at Tomatin. Project overview and timeline on Boards 6 & 7 and we welcome comments on this proposed connection.

Do you have an opinion on the proposal?

Electronic copies of the consultation documents produced for this project can be found on line at

www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/tomnanclach

Consultees are invited to consider the following:

1. Is the rationale for the project clearly set out?

2. Is the approach to the selection of the preferred corridor clearly set out?

3. Are there any factors you consider may have been overlooked or given either insufficient or too much consideration during the corridor selection process?

4. Do you have any other comments about the preferred corridor?

5. Is the definition of the proposed route/ connection type within the preferred corridor clearly set out?

6. Do you have any other comments about the proposed route/ connection type?

How do I have my say?

We are keen to receive feedback from the local community and other interested parties on our proposal. Please also take the time at the event to speak to members of our project team, who are here to answer any questions you may have and explain the information presented on the boards.

CommentsComments can be submitted as follows:

At the exhibition today:

Complete a Comment Form and place it in the box provided

Online:

Complete a Comment Form online by visiting the project webpage: www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/tomnanclach

By post:

Complete a Comments Form and post it to our Liaison Manager (details opposite).

By email:

Complete a Comments Form and email it to our Liaison Manager (details opposite).

Download

Comments forms and all the information from today’s event will also be available to download from the project website at: www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/tomnanclach

Next Stages

Information can also be posted out to you by our liaison manager upon request. Please make your comments as specific as possible in order to help us consider them in relation to our proposals.

The project is in the advanced development stage and we openly welcome comments and feedback to help us refine our proposal. We are very keen to ensure that members of the community understand our proposal as it will be taken forward to a planning application made to The Highland Council.

The closing date for all comments for this consultation is 14 October 2016

Community Liaison Manager

Lesley Dow

Lesley.Dow@sse.com

07876 837490

Lesley Dow SHE Transmission Inveralmond House 200 Dunkeld Road Perth PH1 3AQ

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