MAJOR plans to connect offshore windfarms to the National Grid is creating a jobs bonanza - with one Scots-based energy giant saying that it expected to create 900 over two years while supporting over 9000 others.
New analysis carried out for SSEN Transmission by consultants BiGGAR Economics has revealed the "significant impact" that the company's Pathway to 2030 programme will have in delivering substantial economic benefit to Scotland.
The projects put forward by the electricity transmission network owner and developer for the north of Scotland which is part of the Perth-based SSE Group are expected to contribute around £2.5bn in additional value to the Scottish economy.
But it also warns that early investment in the grid infrastructure was "crucial" to maximise the economic benefits to Scotland from the ScotWind offshore leasing round.
It says that delays would result in "compression of timescales for the delivery of ScotWind projects, creating capacity issues for the Scottish supply chain and reducing the potential economic impact".
SSEN Transmission says its £10bn of investment in the network will allow the connnection of 11GW of new offshore wind capacity through ScotWind projects, enough to power more than 10m homes and support more than 9000 jobs across Scotland.
Last year, some 17 ScotWind projects, with a combined potential generating capacity of 25GW, have been offered new rights to specific areas of the seabed for the development of offshore wind power.
The ScotWind leasing auction attracted more than 70 bids from major oil companies, utility firms and investment funds from around the world.
Most of the sites are on the east, north east or northern coast, with just one on the western side of Scotland.
The analysis says it will support around 9000 jobs across the country on top of 400 new jobs created in 2022/23 and a further 500 to be created in this financial year.
They say the jobs will include technical jobs at all levels to help facilitate some of the major development projects in the pipeline for the business, as well as project management roles and teams to help with customer and stakeholder engagement.
The study said that Scots companies are expected to have opportunities related to developing the projects, as well as the construction and installation of overhead lines, underground cabling, and substations.
At the peak level of employment in 2029, it is anticipated that these projects will support 20,570 jobs across the UK, with 9,250 jobs in Scotland.
It comes after Ofgem approved the need for four new high-voltage subsea cables to deliver electricity from windfarms to the National Grid.
One of the cables has been talked about for 17 years and would link the Western Isles with the Scottish mainland.
Two undersea cables would link Peterhead in Aberdeenshire with England.
A fourth cable would run from Spittal in Caithness to Peterhead.
It is expected that the projects, along with planned upgrades of powerlines across Scotland, would help deliver the UK government's target to achieve 50GW of offshore wind power by 2030.
SSEN Transmission owns, operates and develops the high-voltage transmission network across the north of Scotland, which includes overhead lines, subsea cable routes, underground cables and electricity substations. It extends over a quarter of the UK’s land mass, crossing some of its most challenging terrain.
Rob McDonald, managing director for SSEN Transmission, said: “This is a really exciting time for SSEN Transmission. The development and delivery of our Pathway to 2030 programme is critical to enable the deployment of homegrown and affordable, low carbon power, with this £10bn investment in grid arguably the most important enabler to securing Scotland’s the UK’s future energy security and net zero ambitions.
“These investments will unleash the economic potential of the north of Scotland, supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs and delivering significant economic growth across the economy.
“We are committed to maximise the opportunities these projects will provide to communities and businesses across the north of Scotland, whilst also working closely with all stakeholders to develop these projects in a way that seeks to minimise and mitigates community and environmental impacts.”
The Western Isles link was expected to lead to expansion of onshore and offshore wind projects.
The islands' local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said it would allow 420MW of onshore wind generation in Lewis and 1.3GW of offshore wind generation.
SSEN Transmission has been working on the cable project for almost 15 years but the council has been calling for a link since 2005.
Energy secretary Neil Gray said: “As our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition sets out, we need to invest in our grid infrastructure if we are to enable the full utilisation of current renewable generation, and to realise the enormous potential of further deployment. It is also vital that such infrastructure is delivered at the most efficient cost to consumers, and that local communities are fully engaged and derive lasting benefits.
“This report highlights the significant opportunities that such investment in our grid infrastructure will bring for our workforce, our supply chain, and our regional and national economies. I look forward to the SSEN Transmission Pathway to 2030 Programme progressing at pace to help realise the ambition set out in our draft Energy Strategy and deliver a fair and just energy transition in what is a decisive decade for action.”
SSEN Transmission proposed:
* Two 2GW subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links from Peterhead to England, both of which to be taken forward as joint ventures with National Grid Electricity Transmission
* A 2GW subsea HVDC link from Spittal connecting to Peterhead
*A 1.8GW subsea HVDC cable from Arnish in Lewis in the Western Isle to the Scottish mainland to deliver electricity to a substation at Beauly in the Highlands
* Improvements to powerlines between Beauly, Blackhillock, New Deer and Peterhead, between Beauly, Loch Buidhe and Spittal and between Kintore, Tealing and Westfield
*Work on the existing Beauly to Denny line to enable 400kV operation on both its circuits
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