Councillors gave their blessing yesterday for a new electricity substation in Caithness that is considered a key link in the chain transmitting power produced by renewable energy projects.
There was unanimous approval for Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission’s proposed high voltage direct current switching station near Noss Farm, to take power from Shetland to the mainland grid.
The council’s Caithness area leader Gillian Coghill was delighted that, as a planning condition, a liaison group will be formed to ensure local community involvement in the process as the construction phase takes shape.
“The building itself, I think, is well designed because, with its domed roof, it’s very much in keeping with the existing airport buildings nearby,” she said.
Fellow ward councillor Matthew Reiss was keen to ensure that roads used by the construction vehicle convoys would be policed closely by both the council and the developer.
He cited road damage by HGVs a year ago that he blamed for a lorry careering off the A9 and into a field after hitting a 12-inch rut.
Craig Taylor, project manager for SSE Networks, said: “We’ve gone through a rigorous development process, taking into account a range of technical, environmental and economic considerations to help inform the identification of a suitable location and design – which has been carefully designed to minimise the visual impact of the development in the surrounding area.”
