SSEN Transmission project team behind the first electricity transmission link between Caithness and Orkney have signed a new safety, health and wellbeing charter to commit to a safe, happy and healthy approach to working.

With construction of the project due to get underway this summer, the charter outlines how SSEN Transmission and its contract partners will agree to incorporate safety, health and wellbeing initiatives into every part of their work.

The Orkney transmission link will enable the connection of up to 220MW of new renewable electricity and consists of a new substation at Finstown in Orkney, with 14km of underground and 53km of subsea high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) cable connecting to a new substation at Dounreay in Caithness.

Teams involved in the project gathered in Glasgow to hear more from SSEN Transmission's Safety, Health and Wellbeing team. As a group they discussed their collective approach to identifying and mitigating risks on site, along with the importance of effective communication and creating a safety community.


Around 30 representatives from across SSEN Transmission and the project partners Nexans, RJ McLeod, Siemens Energy and BAM all committed to the charter by signing their name.

SSEN Transmission Deputy Project Director Ian Clark said: "As we get closer towards construction beginning on the Orkney Link Project this summer, it was really important to get all those involved in one space to discuss how we can do safety differently and enhance our wider safety community.

"Safety, health and wellbeing is our number one priority and forms the very core of how we operate our electricity network across the north of Scotland. By gathering representatives from each of our delivery partners as well as our own teams together we were able to have an open and honest discussion about how we can make sure everyone involved on our project go home at the end of the day safe, healthy and happy.

"By signing this new Project Safety, Health and Wellbeing Charter, we're committing ourselves to making sure we create a culture that strives for continuous improvement in how we work and is open to accepting challenges.

"I'm proud of our commitment to thinking differently about our collective approach to our safety, health and wellbeing, and take steps to consider how we can take care of ourselves, each other and the environment when delivering the Orkney Link Project."