Successful cable pull-in of the Shetland HVDC Link

The pull-in is a significant milestone in connecting Shetland to the national electricity grid for the first time as the next section of subsea cable laying gets underway, helping secure the islands future security of supply of clean, low carbon power.  The link will enable 600MW of clean, renewable electricity generation to connect - including the 457MW Viking Energy Wind Farm, which upon completion is set to be the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm - supporting UK and Scottish net zero and energy security targets.

- The installation of the subsea cable system is complex and requires significant planning to reach this point, and working with subsea cable experts NKT has enabled this process to take place reliably, safely and to the highest standard. The second cable campaign marks an exciting step in the project for SSEN Transmission and our contractors, and we look forward to the completion of this phase of the subsea cable campaign over the coming weeks, says John Scott, Director of Shetland HVDC Link Project at SSEN Transmission.

The pull-in was completed by the skilled crew of the cable-laying vessel NKT Victoria. Once secured in the transition joint bay, the offshore cable will be jointed to the previously installed HVDC land cable which will then connect to SSEN Transmission’s Kergord HVDC converter station and AC substation. 

- We are very satisfied that we continue the good collaboration with SSEN Transmission by leveraging our extensive experience within HVDC-technology to enable low-carbon power supply to Shetland, says Claes Westerlind, Executive Vice President and Head of the NKT high-voltage factory in Karlskrona, Sweden.

The Shetland HVDC Link project is on track to be completed by Summer 2024.