Snow business: Teams at Killin 132kV underground cable installation and tower removal project lend helping hand to community during most recent storm

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  • Teams set to work clearing pathways throughout the village
  • Community Night planned on Wednesday 9 March to share more information about ongoing project in Killin

 

Teams working on the SSEN Transmission Killin VISTA project lent a helping hand to the community as snowy conditions hit the area last week. 

As the snowfall on Thursday prevented teams from SSEN Transmission’s principal contractor Morgan Sindall Infrastructure from carrying out planned construction work, the teams set to work clearing snow throughout the village and lending a helping hand to the community.

Two teams from Morgan Sindall Infrastructure helped clear footpaths to the village’s doctor’s surgery, as well as snow from the route to Killin Primary School and Falls of Dochart Retirement Home.  Not to be deterred, they worked continuously until paths were cleared despite the freezing temperatures.

This is not the first time the teams have been helping the community since work on the project began in August.

During Storm Arwen in late November Morgan Sindall Infrastructure arranged for two spare generators from the project to be dropped off to the Falls of Dochart Retirement Home, ensuring all residents had electricity and heating until power could be fully restored. 

They’ve also donated tools to RecyKillin, a local initiative run by volunteers which offers a tool library for the community to use, as well as workshops on how to upcycle and repair household items.  Project staff noted an advert in a local noticeboard appealing for tool donations for their tool library, and teams returned with surplus shovels, rakes, hammers and safety gloves as a donation.  The equipment was dropped off to RecyKillin volunteer Eleanor Murray by Grahame Kirsopp, Senior Health and Safety Advisor at Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, who was delighted with the donation. 

The Killin VISTA project involves removing a total of 7.8km of electrical overhead lines including 32 steel-lattice towers between Killin substation and Lix Toll.  This includes removing the towers at the most prominent section above Killin and the Falls of Dochart, as well as those crossing the A827.  The project is the fourth Visual Impact of Scottish Transmission Assets scheme – known as VISTA – carried out by SSEN Transmission to reduce the impact of its electricity transmission infrastructure in some of Scotland’s most precious landscapes.

To help share more about the project to local residents in Killin, the project compound is being opened to the community on Wednesday 9 March with local residents invited along for refreshments and to find out more about the work taking place, meet the project team and learn more about how the cable will be undergrounded in the area.

Project Manager Alistair McDonald said: “When we saw the snow forecast we knew our planned works were likely to be impacted on the day. Rather than have the teams remain at the compound, our Delivery Partner Morgan Sindall Infrastructure deployed teams into the village to assist with clearing snow from paths and footways for the community.

“We are guests here at Killin while we carry out this project and supporting the community whenever we can is really important to us.  We’re pleased we’ve been able to support the local care home when needed during Storm Arwen, and also to donate spare tools to RecyKillin, a fantastic new initiative in the area. 

“We’re proud to help the community and I look forward to hopefully meeting some of them at our Community Night later this month, where myself and the rest of the project team will be on hand to share more about our VISTA project in the area.”

Since August, teams have worked to install new access tracks, including a temporary bridge over River Dochart to facilitate construction access for specialist plant and equipment ahead of the towers being removed, as well as the installation of ducting across various sections of the cable route including either side of the A827 road to the north of Killin village, ready for the underground cables to be pulled into position.  Teams are now turning to the next phase of work which involves completing the remaining cable duct installation and horizontal direction drilling works under the River Dochart. Works will then commence with the cable installation and reconfiguration of the Killin 132kV Grid Substation.

For more information about the Killin VISTA Project visit: https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/vista-killin/