Scotland is a world leader in the fight against climate change. We are producing more clean, green energy than ever before, and we need to strengthen the transmission network so we can get it to the homes, businesses, hospitals and public services that need it.
There is substantial interest for renewable energy generation development (primarily wind and hydropower) and SP Energy Networks (SPEN) continues to receive associated grid connection requests from developers wishing to develop such renewable energy schemes. An application was received from the Cloich Forest Wind Farm developer requesting connection from the wind farm substation to a nearby substation, via an 132kV overhead line (OHL). The nearest appropriate substation is the Currie substation.
SPEN is required in terms of its statutory and licence obligations to provide for new electricity generators wishing to connect to the transmission system in its licence area. SPEN is also obliged to make its transmission system available for these purposes and to ensure that the system is fit for purpose through appropriate reinforcements to accommodate the contracted capacity.
Who is SP Energy Networks?
Who is SP Energy Networks?
SP Energy Networks is part of the ScottishPower Group. SP Transmission sit within SP Energy Networks and are responsible for the transmission of electricity in central and southern Scotland and the distribution network in parts of North West England and North Wales. Our role is to maintain, operate and invest in or network to secure a safe, reliable, and economic service for current and future consumers.
As a regulated utility provider, SP Energy Networks is obliged under the Electricity Act of 1989 to provide grid connection for electricity generated from power stations, windfarms, and various other utilities into our transmission network, which comprises over 4,000 km of overhead lines and 320 km of underground cables.
What statutory obligations does SP Energy Networks have?
What statutory obligations does SP Energy Networks have?
Our statutory legal obligations are set out in the Electricity Act 1989 and in our transmission licence.
We must develop and maintain an efficient coordinated and economical transmission system in accordance with security and quality of supply standards. We must offer to connect new power generators to the system and, make sure we keep disturbance to the natural and built environment and the people who live in it, work in it or enjoy it to a minimum.
Who regulates SP Energy Networks?
Who regulates SP Energy Networks?
We are regulated by Ofgem (Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets). Further information about Ofgem is available:
Why is this project needed?
Why is this project needed?
SP Energy Networks received a request to provide a 67.2 megawatt (MW) grid connection to the Cloich Forest Wind Farm to a nearby substation. The connection is required to allow the Cloich Forest Wind Farm to input into the electricity network if approved.
To comply with its statutory and license obligations, SP Energy Networks must provide the Cloich Wind Farm with a connection to the transmission system.
What exactly are you proposing?
What exactly are you proposing?
We are proposing to construct a new c.40 km 132 kV overhead line (OHL) to connect Cloich Forest Wind Farm to the transmission grid system at the existing Currie substation located to the southwest of Edinburgh.
The OHL is proposed to be supported by wooden trident poles with galvanised steelwork cross arms supporting aluminium conductors on insulators. These are suitable for supporting single circuit lines operating at 132 kV.
Wood poles have a standard height above ground of approximately 11-16m, but these can be increased or reduced as required where circumstances dictate, e.g. over elevated land, structures or features.
The distance between wood poles will average between 80 m to 100 m but can be increased if there is a requirement to span a larger landscape feature etc.
What is the Cloich Forest Wind Farm Project?
What is the Cloich Forest Wind Farm Project?
EDF Renewables is seeking consent for the Cloich Forest Wind Farm, a proposed 12-turbine wind farm located on a site to the west of Eddleston village, 5.5 km north-west of Peebles, within the Scottish Borders (Energy Consents Unit application ref ECU00003288).
How much will the project cost?
How much will the project cost?
It is early days and we won’t be able to cost the project fully until we have a definite proposal.
Who will pay for this project?
Who will pay for this project?
Ultimately, the cost of our investment in the electricity system is partly borne by consumers through electricity bills, so we are obliged to be economic and efficient. We recover our costs through transmission charges levied by National Grid.
The amount we invest in our networks and the amount we are able to recover is agreed with Ofgem, which is committed to working with industry, governments and consumer groups to deliver a net zero economy at the lowest cost to consumers. You can find out more about Ofgem.
Who gives you permission to construct new overhead lines?
Who gives you permission to construct new overhead lines?
We will be applying for consent under Section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to install the proposed overhead line. As such, applications will be submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, and Scottish Ministers will make the final decision whether to grant or refuse it.
When is the project needed by?
When is the project needed by?
We plan to have the project in operation by 2028, but there is a lot to do before then, such as environmental studies, designing the project, obtaining the necessary development consent, and building it.
How will you determine the final route of the new overhead line?
How will you determine the final route of the new overhead line?
The routeing of the OHL and determining the wood pole positions is a complex process, requiring a balance to be struck between statutory obligations, engineering requirements, economic viability, the environment, and people who live, work, enjoy recreation and pass through it.
We are following established guidelines for routeing of transmission overhead lines, which combine in depth environmental studies with technical and economic factors. A key part of this is consultation with landowners, stakeholders and the public to inform the development of the project.
You can find out more about how we develop routes in our Approach to Routeing and Environmental Impact Assessment document, which is available on our website.
You can find detailed information specific to the routeing of the proposed new Cloich Forest Wind Farm Connection Project in our Routeing and Consultation Report.
How and where will the proposed new Cloich Forest Wind Farm overhead line connect to the Currie substation?
How and where will the proposed new Cloich Forest Wind Farm overhead line connect to the Currie substation?
The proposed 132kV connection is required to connect the Cloich Forest Wind Farm to the existing Currie Substation. The overhead line connection is about 40km in length which will be supported on Trident wood poles. The exact connection point will be identified at the next stage of project development, after we have received feedback from the first round of consultation and carried out further technical and environmental studies to determine a detailed route alignment for the proposed new overhead line.
What will the new overhead line look like and how high will it be?
What will the new overhead line look like and how high will it be?
The overhead lines will be supported on Trident wood poles and has a standard design height of approx. 11-16m above ground. New wood poles are dark brown in colour and weather over time to a light grey. The wood pole top cross-arms are galvanised steel and support the aluminium conductors on stacks of grey insulator discs. Both the steelwork and aluminium will weather and darken after a few years.
How will the overhead line be constructed?
How will the overhead line be constructed?
The construction of OHLs requires additional temporary infrastructure such as temporary accesses to poles location and construction compounds to store materials. All have limited maintenance requirements, and are subject to well-established procedures for dismantling/decommissioning.
Following site preparation, small excavations are required to install each pole leg and its foundations which requires no concrete. The poles are then erected in sections before the conductors are ‘strung’ between them.
You can find more information about the construction process in our Routeing and Consultation Report.
Can the new line go underground?
Can the new line go underground?
Under the Electricity Act 1989, SPEN is required to consider technical, economic and environmental matters, and reach a balance between them.
High voltage, high-capacity overhead lines are the proven economic and reliable choice for the bulk transmission of electricity throughout the world. Nevertheless, a section of underground cable is proposed as part of this connection due to technical constraints surrounding Currie Substation.
Section 9 of the Act places a duty on SPEN (as a licence holder) to ‘develop and maintain an efficient, co-ordinated and economical system of electricity transmission/distribution’. In practice this means an overhead line will almost always be promoted ahead of an underground cable connection due to the higher costs of underground cabling for the relative voltages.
How are we consulting local people?
How are we consulting local people?
We are planning two rounds of public consultation before we submit our consent application to the Scottish Government.
The first round of consultation, from Monday 13 May to Monday 17 June 2024 is to seek people’s views on our preferred route for the proposed new Cloich Forest Wind Farm connection, and where the new line might go within that route.
Following this first round of consultation, we will develop a detailed design and alignment for the new connection overhead line, including locations for poles, access routes and working areas. We will publish a report summarising the feedback received in this first round of consultation and how this has influenced our proposals.
We will then hold a second round of public consultation, so that people can give us their views on the detailed route alignment. We will also carry out a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment at this stage.
After considering feedback received in the second round of consultation, we will finalise our proposals and submit applications for consent to the Scottish Ministers.
The Scottish Ministers will then hold a final round of statutory consultation before making any decision on our applications.
Are you consulting landowners?
Are you consulting landowners?
Yes, we will be talking to owners and occupiers of land that might be affected by our preferred route. If you believe that your land may be affected and you have not yet heard from us, please contact us.
Can you tell me more about Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs)?
Can you tell me more about Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs)?
Wherever electricity is used there will also be electric and magnetic fields. This is inherent in the laws of physics – we can modify the fields to some extent, but if we are going to use electricity, then EMFs are inevitable. Like many other things that we encounter in nature, EMFs can be harmful at high-enough levels. But the fields required, for example, to start interfering with the body’s nervous system are much greater than those produced by the UK electricity system. Hundreds of millions of pounds have been spent investigating this issue around the world. Research still continues to seek greater clarity; however, the balance of scientific evidence to date suggests that EMFs do not cause disease.
‘Electric and Magnetic fields – The Facts’ is a document produced by the UK electricity industry.
How do we provide feedback without a physical public consultation?
How do we provide feedback without a physical public consultation?
In the same way as a normal consultation event, you are able to provide feedback via email or post. The addresses can be found below:
If your question is not answered within these FAQs, you can email the mailbox at: cloichprojectmanager@spenergynetworks.co.uk
Alternatively, you can write to:
Cloich Project Manager,
Land and Planning Team
Scottish Power Energy Networks,
55 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow,
G32 8FA.