Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) and SP Energy Networks have completed a £197 million electricity network strengthening project.

The three-year scheme involved reinforcing the network on the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll to Hunterston in North Ayrshire.

Three main elements of the project included:

• New grid substations built in the forest at Crossaig on Kintyre and Hunterston Power Station on the North Ayrshire coast

• The replacement of 14km of 132kV overhead line connecting the Crossaig and Carradale substations

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• The construction of an underground cable connection between Crossaig substation and Port a’Mhidair, where the cable becomes buried beneath the sea bed and runs across the Kilbrannan Sound around the north of Arran before connecting again onshore at Ardneil Bay in North Ayrshire; a distance of some 41km

In addition, SP Energy Networks installed 3.5km of land cable to connect the line at Ardneil Bay to Hunterston.

This section was installed using the same route as the Western Link in order to reduce construction impacts.

Director of SHE Transmission, Dave Gardner said: "The completion and energisation of this part of the network gives renewable developers the capacity to build further generation in this area and, importantly, builds a stronger power supply for those who live and work here."

With immediate the new links allow the boundary capacity to rise to 420MW to enable the connection of current and future wind, hydro and solar generation developments.

(LM)