Moray East Onshore Works
Getting Power Onto The Grid
In order to take the power generated out at sea to the homes and industry where it will be used, three cable circuits will be installed, firstly, below the seabed from the offshore wind farm to the Aberdeenshire coast, and then underground, from the coastline between Banff and Whitehills to a new substation south of New Deer.
The onshore works can be broadly divided into three different sections, and leaflets have been produced which provide information about the activities undertaken at each site:
Cable Landfall
The cable circuits will come ashore on the coast between Banff and Whitehills. They will be installed below ground, so after works are complete, there will be no obvious signs of their presence.
Cable Landfall Leaflet Download
Underground Cable Route
The cable will follow a 33km route which has been selected to optimise installation with minimal environmental impact. After re-instatement, the only visual evidence of the infrastructure will be cable identification signage and occasional underground access covers.
Underground Cable installation Leaflet Download
Substation Site
Works at the substation site in New Deer have commenced. This is a major engineering project in itself, which started with enabling works such as establishing access from the public road network, stripping topsoil and associated heavy earthworks such as building landscaping bunds and undertaking appropriate drainage arrangements. Temporary storage compounds have been established for vehicles and equipment and a site office, with welfare provision for staff has been established.
Substation site in March 2019
Substation site in February 2020
At the ongoing cable installation sites, HDD works will be happening along specific locations on the route.
Current Works
Brief description of activities of M & E works:
- 3 x Super Grid Transformers (SGT’s) have been delivered and undergoing installation on site
- 6 x Shunt Reactors have been delivered and undergoing installation activities
- 220kV Harmonic Filters are currently being installed.
Road Improvement Works
Works have been undertaken to improve local roads around the substation site and along the cable route. During these works, it may be necessary to introduce temporary traffic management measures such as speed restrictions or closures and diversions.
- 29 May for 2 wks – B9105 Speed-Restriction
- 3 June for 2 wks – Corskie-Netherwood Rd – Diversion
- 12 June for 2 wks – B9038 Speed Restriction
- 12 June for 2 wks – B9139 – Diversion
- 29 July to 13 Aug – B9005 – Diversion
Moray East Key Facts
- Consent for construction of up to 1,116MW granted in 2016
- CfD for 950MW awarded in 2017
- Connection to National Grid at a new substation to be constructed at New Deer in Aberdeenshire via underground cable (planning permission granted by Aberdeenshire Council in 2014)
- Total underground export cable corridor route 86km (52km offshore and 34km onshore)
- Total wind farm Area – 295km2
- Maximum turbine blade-tip height – 204m (669 feet)
- Minimum distance from shore – 22km (13.5 miles).