Energy / Lerwick Community Council withdraws objection to Statkraft substation
LERWICK Community Council (LCC) has withdrawn its objection to a 132kV substation being built on the outskirts of the town.
The community council formally opposed the Statkraft project in January, citing a “lack of information” about how existing power lines would be connected to the proposed substation.
But after receiving “further clarification” from the Norwegian energy company, LCC has now pulled its objection to the proposal.
Campaign groups Sustainable Shetland and Save Shetland – both of which oppose new wind farm developments in the isles – and nine members of the public have already objected to the planning application.
Statkraft lodged the plans for the outskirts of Lerwick in December, with the infrastructure set to provide space for transformer equipment for Statkraft and electrical switchgear for SSEN Transmission.
It hopes to link the substation into SSEN’s new power line between Kergord and Gremista.
The Norwegian energy company is aiming to connect the substation to its proposed Mossy Hill wind farm, which would see eight 155m turbines built just outside Lerwick.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and natural heritage officer Martin Schofield have offered no objections to the plans, but both have asked for a peat management plan to be put in place before construction begins.
“The impact on blanket bog is one of the main issue of concern for this proposed development,” Schofield said in his submission to council planners.
“According to the NatureScot guidance a number of the habitats on site are identified as priority peatland habitats ‘which should be avoided’ or ‘completely avoided’.”
Schofield asked if Statkraft had explored opportunities to move an access road to the site “to avoid areas of deep peat and priority peatland”.
SEPA said work should not start on the Statkraft site until a peat management plan “has been submitted and approved by the relevant authorities”.
The substation infrastructure would be located on land in between the Staney Hill quarry and the junction for the A970 road and Ladies Drive.
Statkraft has previously estimated it could have a planning decision on both its substation and wind farm plans by summer 2025.
Construction on the substation could start in the summer, with wind farm construction likely only beginning in summer 2026 and turbines arriving the following year.
The wind farm is expected to be fully up and running by autumn 2028.
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