SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission have announced the start of enabling work on the proposed Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) converter station, that is due to be built on a site south of Peterhead, near Boddam.

The joint venture project will see around 440km of subsea high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable connecting new converter stations planned for Peterhead and Yorkshire.

The project will help the Scottish and UK governments to achieve their ambitious energy security and net zero climate targets, both of which require vast amounts of renewable energy to be generated and transported to where it will be used – and EGL2 will connect enough electricity to power two million homes.

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To span the distance involved, converter stations are required to convert electricity from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) which is suited to transporting electricity with less electrical losses. Plans for the converter station were consented in May 2022 by Aberdeenshire Council and construction is due to begin in late 2024 and be complete in 2029.

In preparation for the construction of the new converter station, enabling works will include:

• 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 132kV towers including an existing cable sealing end compound on the existing overhead line that crosses the site.

• Ground investigation works.

• Undergrounding of the existing 11kV overhead line within the converter station land boundary. A new 11kV 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.

Every effort will be made to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum.