SSEN Transmission has agreed a Capacity Reservation Agreement with Nexans to supply around 100 km of 220kV high voltage cables, both onshore and offshore.

Sandy Mactaggart, Director of Offshore Delivery at SSEN Transmission, said:

“We are delighted to have successfully secured the manufacturing and installation capacity with Nexans for the Orkney transmission link, a key milestone to support the timely delivery of this project.

“We now look forward to working closely in partnership with Nexans to conclude contractual arrangements and cement our strong working relationship as we work together to further unlock Orkney’s vast renewable potential.”

The Orkney transmission link will enable the connection of up to 220MW of new renewable electricity and consists of a new substation at Finstown in Orkney, and around 57km of subsea cable, connecting to a new substation at Dounreay in Caithness. 

All planning consents are in place for the point-to-point connection, with work underway to plan the on-island infrastructure required to connect and transport Orkney renewable generators to Finstown substation before onward transmission to demand centres in the north of Scotland and beyond.

The 220kV AC subsea and land cables supplied by Nexans will play a crucial role in the delivery of this project, the final piece in the jigsaw in connecting all three of Scotland’s main island groups to the mainland electricity transmission network.

Pascal Radue, EVP Generation and Transmission at Nexans, said: 

“This agreement with SSEN Transmission is a real success for Nexans and I would like to congratulate all our teams for their very high-quality work over the last few years. We look forward to working with SSEN Transmission and finalizing the contract in 2024. This project is vital for the development of renewable energies in the UK, and we are delighted to be contributing thanks to our expertise and know-how.”

The cables will provide a long awaited transmission link from Orkney to the Scottish mainland at Dounreay.