Construction is set to begin on a major project that will connect the Orkney Islands to the UK electricity grid for the first time.
SSEN Transmission has secured contracts with Siemens Energy and BAM Joint Venture, Nexans, and RJ McLeod for the Orkney-Caithness 220kV link project.
This project will connect Orkney to the Scottish mainland for the first time.
Construction is set to begin this month.
The link will include a high voltage alternating current (HVAC) subsea cable and new substations at Finstown and Dounreay.
The project aims to connect up to 220MW of renewable energy to the national grid.
Mark Pilling, Vice President of Grid Solutions Europe at Siemens Energy, said: “I’m proud that substations and grid stabilisation technology from Siemens Energy will connect 220MW of clean energy to the grid, enough to power 250,000 homes.”
Full operations for the Orkney-Caithness connection project are expected to begin in 2028.
