The Caithness–Moray Link is a 160 km (100-mile) HVDC submarine power cable beneath the Moray Firth in Scotland, linking Spittal in Caithness and Blackhillock in Moray. Constructed by Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, it is capable of transmitting up to 1,200 MW of power.[2] It was officially completed in January 2019, under budget at a cost of £970 million, and was reported as the largest single investment in the northern Scottish electricity network since the 1950s.[3][1][4]
| Caithness–Moray Link | |
|---|---|
 Map of Caithness–Moray Link | |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| From | Spittal substation, Caithness |
| Passes through | Moray Firth |
| To | Blackhillock Substation, Moray |
| Ownership information | |
| Operator | Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks |
| Construction information | |
| Installer of conductor/cable | NKT |
| Installer of substations | ABB |
| Construction cost | £970 million[1] |
| Commissioned | January 2019 |
| Technical information | |
| Type | submarine cable |
| Type of current | HVDC |
| Total length | 160 km (99 mi) |
| Power rating | 1,200 MW |
| DC voltage | 320 kV |
| No. of poles | 2 |
| No. of circuits | 1 |
The link was constructed to improve the connectivity of the Scottish electricity transmission network, and allow increased flow of electricity from renewable energy sources in the north of Scotland, such as the Beatrice and Dorenell wind farms.[1] It is the second HVDC link to be constructed within the National Grid (as opposed to as an interconnector),[a] after the Western HVDC Link.
Construction
editThe route was originally intended to form part of the Shetland HVDC Connection, however the project was split into two parts, with the Caithness - Moray link to be constructed first at a projected cost of £1.2 billion.[5]
The Caithness–Moray link was approved by regulators in 2014,[5] with the contract for laying the undersea cable awarded to NKT. 113 km (70 miles) of the link runs beneath the sea, with a total of 48 km (30 miles) of underground cross-linked polyethylene cable at both ends.[6]
The project required the construction of two new HVDC converter stations, at Spittal and Blackhillock, with the construction contract for these awarded to ABB.[7] After the addition of the converter station, Blackhillock Substation became the largest in the UK, at the size of 24 football pitches.[3]
The wider project also involved the augmentation of other parts of the power transmission network in northern Scotland, with upgrades carried out on a total of eight substations and two overhead transmission lines.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Completion of Caithness-Moray transmission link". Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (Press release). 11 January 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Caithness - Moray". Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b Keane, Kevin (11 January 2019). "Subsea electricity link between Caithness and Moray completed". BBC News. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b Ibbetson, Connor (14 January 2019). "£1bn Scottish energy link completed under budget". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b Bevington, Pete (11 July 2014). "Cable to open up isles renewables approved". Shetland News. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "CMS, Scotland". NKT. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Caithness Moray HVDC Link". ABB (Press release). Retrieved 9 February 2020.
Notes
edit- ^ In modern times. HVDC Kingsnorth, since decommissioned, was the first internal HVDC link.
