Energy / Plans in for Mossy Hill substation
PLANS have now formally been lodged for a substation for Statkraft’s proposed Mossy Hill wind farm on the outskirts of Lerwick.
The substation, which was the subject of two public consultations, will provide space for transformer equipment for Statkraft and electrical switchgear for SSEN Transmission.
The new 132kV substation will allow the wind farm to connect to the new underground cable line between Kergord and Gremista.
Substations are required in renewable energy developments to allow energy from turbines to be converted into a form that can be fed into the grid.
Planning permission is in place for the wind farm to have 12 turbines, but Statkraft has carried out a review since acquiring the development last year and it is now proposing eight turbines which would be greater in height.
An application for the redesign is expected to be submitted in early 2025.
The substation infrastructure would be located on land in between the Staney Hill quarry and the junction for the A970 road and Ladies Drive.
SSEN Transmission substation compound would be around 9,500 square metres, with Statkraft’s slightly smaller at roughly 62,220 square metres.
Access to the site would be gained via the A970 or Ladies Drive via consented wind farm access junctions.
As part of the development Statkraft is also seeking to permanently reduce the existing speed limit of 60mph on Ladies Drive along the eastern side of the site boundary.
Although there will be increased traffic movements on the public road during constriction, Statkraft is also considering a direct link track between the nearby quarry and the site.
The application said the developer is expected to “re-use a significant volume of stone on the site”.
Construction could start in the third quarter of 2025.
Statkraft said the location of the substation development has been located to minimise environmental and visual impacts, including the impact on peat.
A peat survey conducted for the planning process said “although much of the application boundary is located on peat, the proposed development infrastructure has avoided the thickest areas”.
Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council previously suggested alternative locations for the development to “avoid digging up yet more of Shetland’s landscape”.
However, Statkraft said at the time that the site was “carefully chosen”.
Speaking about the submission of plans for the substation, Statkraft’s project manager John Thouless said: “The new substation will ensure that the wind farm can connect to the local electricity network, replacing two smaller substations which were originally consented.
“This will allow Mossy Hill to supply renewable electricity, further securing Shetland’s place as a major energy hub and contributor to net-zero targets.”
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