Residents of Lewis are invited to a second public consultation event to discuss plans for a new HVDC convertor station and AC substation on Arnish Moor.

SSEN Transmission will host the statutory pre-application consultation event at the Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway on Thursday, November 14th, from 3-7pm. Project staff will be available to answer questions and provide details on the proposed site location, layout, and connections.

Visualisations, including landscaping measures to mitigate visual impact, will also be on display.

The proposed 400kV substation and converter station, known as the Lewis Hub, is a crucial component of the Western Isles HVDC link. This link will enable the connection of 1.8GW of new renewable electricity generation to the national grid.

The project is expected to enhance network reliability and security of supply for homes and businesses in the Western Isles, while stimulating local economic growth through the supply chain and contributing to national net-zero and energy security goals.

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Colin Bell, Lead Project Manager for SSEN Transmission, said: "There has been a strong level of interest and engagement in our proposals, and our second pre-application consultation will give the public another opportunity to have their say prior to the submission of our formal planning application early next year.

"We have already made significant changes to the project based on community feedback, most notably relocating from our original preferred site at Creed North to Arnish Moor.

"We continue to refine the project in line with community feedback, including measures that have reduced the size of the substation platform from its original design, and landscaping proposals to reduce the visual impact of the site.

"We are also working closely with our contract partners, external stakeholders, local businesses and community groups to ensure our project plans during the proposed construction and operation of the site doesn't put undue pressure on local services and other sectors including local housing provision, transport and logistics.

"This demonstrates the value of our consultation with the local community, which is an important part of our project development process. We encourage anyone with an interest in our proposals to come along to our event on November 14th and provide their feedback."