SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission have commenced work on the proposed Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) converter station to be built on a site south of Peterhead, near Boddam.
The joint venture project will be composed of around 440 km of subsea HVDC cable connecting new converter stations planned for Peterhead and Yorkshire.
The project will help the Scottish and UK governments to achieve their energy security and net zero climate targets. EGL2 will connect enough electricity to power two million homes.
Aberdeenshire Council approved plans for the converter station and construction is anticipated to start in late 2024 with completion in 2029.
Construction of the new converter station will involve the following steps:
- Two new permanent access roads with new junctions on the U66, along with a temporary road through the site for construction traffic.
- A site car park and erection of temporary site offices for use during construction.
- Construction of a new cable sealing end compound, and removal of two existing 132 kV towers including an existing cable sealing end compound on the existing overhead line that crosses the site.
- Ground investigation works.
- Undergrounding of the existing 11 kV overhead line within the converter station land boundary. A new 11 kV connection will be installed into the site, running parallel with the A90. This will require periodical temporary traffic lights on the A90 from the U66 junction to the Invernettie roundabout, until March 2024.
