Work at Peterhead substation gets underway

It has been a busy time for SSEN Transmission and their principal contractor Balfour Beatty onsite at Peterhead substation, in just 5 short months the site has started to take shape and its footprint has begun to emerge.

The new substation located on the North East coast, once complete, will form part of SSEN Transmission’s reinforcement of the Eastern network ensuring the continued safe supply of power to the North of Scotland. It will comprise of two 1200MVA super grid transformers, plant enclosures, a 400kV gas-insulated busbar and substation control building. On completion, the substation will facilitate the connection of new renewable generation to the grid, supporting the transition to net zero emissions.

Since breaking-ground the team have been focusing on the enabling works to prepare the site for main construction of the 25,625 square metre substation. In addition to the construction of the access road to the site, the main earthworks and site drainage works are well underway. All the excavated earth will be retained on site and used to create the landscaped earth bunds which help screen the site.  They have taken delivery of the temporary main site offices which will be home to the team over the next two and a half years. The foundation works for the main GIS substation building started in Feb 2021 with SGT building foundations starting in March 2021.

As part of their commitment to deliver supply chain opportunities locally, SSEN Transmission and their contract partners Balfour Beatty and RJ Mcleod, have already engaged the services of local firms Breedon’s providing the aggregate and concrete to site, Alpha Fencing providing new fencing and Dennis Gordon electrical providing electrical support.

Project Manager Russell Maxwell said “We have made excellence progress in just a few short months, we are already starting to see the footprint of the substation emerge. With the primary enabling works now complete we can focus on the main construction activities. Its great to see local firms working on the project, we hope to offer more opportunities over the next 2 years.

“We worked closely with the local community through the development of the project and we look forward to sharing updates with the local community as the project progresses. We welcome anyone who is interested in finding out more about the project to get in touch.”

To find out more about the project to contact the project team please visit: https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/peterhead-substation