Killin VISTA project supporting local community
- Primary School visit inspires next generation of engineers
The project team working on the SSEN Transmission Killin VISTA tower removal project has been continuing to support the local community as the project makes further strides forward.
In March this year, pupils from Killin Primary School were welcomed along to the project site offices in Killin by teams from SSEN Transmission and Principal Contractor Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, where they were given an insight into what the project is all about, as well as the environment and the local wildlife that the team have encountered. Afterwards, the pupils donned hard hats and high-visibility clothing and were invited to see up close some of the specialist machinery being used on the project.
The project team also contributed to the Killin Parent Partnership annual spring Duck Race, which raises funds for the local primary school. Having not been held for the past two years due to covid, the team from SSEN Transmission covered the cost of the bouncy castle which was a popular draw for the kids who attended the spring Family Fun Day.
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, replacing them with underground cables. 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 existing electricity transmission infrastructure in some of Scotland’s most precious landscapes.
Working with the community is a key factor in the project and the team work hard to keep them informed as the project progresses. Earlier this year the project held a successful community night where residents and stakeholders were invited to visit the offices in Killin to learn more about the scheme, meet some of the project team and raise any questions about the work. The event was well attended with over 50 people visiting the site offices.
Teams have been on site since August 2021, and have been working to prepare the new underground cable route by installing cable ducts, ready for the new electricity cable to be pulled into position. New access roads and a temporary bridge have also been installed ahead of the main tower removal work which is expected to begin in the autumn.
SSEN Transmission Project Manager Alistair McDonald said: “As guests in the area I’m pleased that we’ve been able to support the local community in Killin at recent local events to help benefit the area.
“The pupils from Killin Primary School were very enthusiastic visitors to our offices – they had some great questions and were really taking on board with our information about the local wildlife and important safety messages about staying safe around our sites. We’re looking forward to welcoming them back for future visits, it’s always great to work with the potential next generation of engineers!
“We’ve been working closely with the community since we arrived in the area and it’s really important that we continue to keep them informed as the project progresses. We thank them for their continued patience as we continue with this project and reiterate that we’ll continue to do all we can to keep any disruption to a minimum.”
For more information about the Killin VISTA Project visit: https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/vista-killin/