Buchan Offshore Wind Launches Scoping for Onshore Grid Connection

Buchan Offshore Wind has commenced scoping for its onshore grid works with the submission of its Onshore Scoping Report to Aberdeenshire Council.

The report sets out the project’s preferred export cable route, with the cable proposed to come ashore between Rattray Head and the St Fergus gas terminal.  It also identifies two potential locations for the project’s onshore substation close to the existing SSEN Transmission substation to the southwest of Peterhead, where the project will connect to the national electricity transmission network.

The report sets out a corridor of potential routes for the onshore cable, which runs west from Rattray before heading south and passing to the west of Peterhead. This would be undergrounded along the entirety of its 21km route.

The project has already received its Offshore Scoping Opinion and its Habitats Regulation Assessment Screening Opinion and is working towards an application for consent in 2025.

The Onshore Scoping Report contains details of the planned onshore elements, and its approach to Environmental Impact Assessment, with stakeholders now invited to provide feedback on the surveys the project is intending to complete, and the methodologies to be used. The Buchan team will be holding further public exhibitions after the summer.

Ian Simms, Head of Consents, Buchan Offshore Wind commented:

“We have developed proposals that will minimise local impacts and fit with the existing energy infrastructure in the area. Submission of our Onshore Scoping Report is another important step forward for the project, which would, of course, make a meaningful contribution to Scottish and UK climate change and renewable energy targets. We look forward to engaging with local stakeholders again prior to submitting our planning application next year.”

The commencement of scoping follows last week’s announcement that Clare Lavelle will be taking on the role of Project Director when Alasdair MacLeod steps down later this summer.

The full scoping report can be downloaded by clicking the button below.