An air crane helicopter has been used to connect a wind farm development to the electricity grid in Moray.

The specialist Erickson S-64 aircraft has installed 140 composite plastic poles which will connect the Dorenell Wind Farm to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' (SSEN) Blackhillock Substation near Keith.

The project is being delivered by SSEN in partnership with Balfour Beatty.

By using durable composite plastic instead of the traditional timber, the poles eliminate the need to harvest trees, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, carbon consumption, and the degradation of ecosystems. In addition, the structures have a longer lifespan and can be repurposed or recycled at the end of their useful life.

Paul Higginbotham, Lead Project Manager at SSEN, said: "This is a new way of delivering electricity in Scotland and I am proud that we are the first transmission network owner to use composite poles in the UK. The use of composite materials means they have a stronger strength/weight ratio than the traditional wood pole alternative. They are also less visually intrusive than steel lattice towers.

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"We shipped in a S64-F Air Crane from the USA to lift and install the poles. This innovative installation method meant that we did not require access tracks for the erection process and were able to install the poles quickly in locations that would have been difficult to access by crane."

Andrew Smith, Operations Director for Balfour Beatty's Power Transmission and Distribution business in Scotland, added: "At Balfour Beatty, we are continually assessing how we can utilise technology and innovation to mitigate safety risks, increase project efficiencies and overcome challenges faced by the sector.

"Working in collaboration with SSEN, we have developed an entirely new infrastructure solution which meets industry specifications in both the UK and Europe. This includes modifying the pole structures to be less intrusive, enhancing the durability of the insulators and utilising cutting edge conductors to enable real-time monitoring of windfarm and substation performance."

(LM/MH)