Construction has commenced on SSE's 208MW Strathy South Wind Farm, a significant £400 million capital project located in the Scottish Highlands.

Following a final investment decision by SSE in December 2024, early works have now begun at the site in Sutherland, northern Scotland, adjacent to SSE's operational Strathy North Wind Farm.

The 35-turbine project is fully backed by a 15-year Allocation Round 5 (AR5) Contracts for Difference (CfD) agreement with the UK Government and is aiming for commercial operations by late 2027. Once operational, Strathy South is projected to generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 200,000 British homes annually. This new onshore wind capacity is set to contribute significantly to the UK Government's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks welcomed the progress, stating: "It is great to see this latest milestone from SSE which is harnessing natural, renewable resources to power British homes and businesses and investing in the Highlands of Scotland. Delivering more onshore wind across the country is at the heart of our mission to becoming a clean energy superpower, creating highly skilled jobs, kickstarting growth and protecting households from future fossil fuel price shocks."

The construction of Strathy South is a tangible demonstration of SSE's investment commitment in the UK as part of its five-year Net Zero Acceleration Programme (NZAP) Plus, which focuses on investing in new homegrown British energy to secure the UK's energy future.

-- Advertisement --

Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, commented: "The construction of our 208MW Strathy South Wind Farm puts SSE's commitment to support the UK as its clean energy champion into action. By harnessing our natural resources in Scotland's northern Highlands, we will be able to generate enough renewable energy when Strathy South enters operation in 2027 to power around 200,000 British homes annually and so help achieve the country's clean power goal. At SSE we're working hard to play our part to support the UK Government in the delivery of the country's most ambitious reforms to the energy system in generations, as set out in the UK's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. We're committed to delivering the clean power projects the UK needs now, whether through the delivery of our Berwick Bank offshore wind project or through new onshore wind farms such as Strathy South. Together, we can power change towards a new era of clean, homegrown energy."

RJ McLeod, one of Scotland's largest privately owned civil engineering and building contractors, is leading the construction efforts. The project is expected to support up to 125 full-time jobs during peak construction and provide a vital contribution to the Scottish and wider UK supply chain. Danish manufacturer Vestas will be responsible for supplying, installing, and commissioning all 35 of the V162-6.2 MW turbines for the project.

Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery – SSE Renewables, expressed her delight: "We are delighted to have started construction on Strathy South Wind Farm, which is another key project in our onshore portfolio and will see significant investment by SSE in the Scottish Highlands. The project will support full time construction roles and the local supply chain during delivery and will contribute to the UK's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan once operational. As we look to develop a clean, homegrown secure energy system the scale and impact of onshore wind projects like Strathy South cannot be underestimated. It is also great to once again be working with local company RJ McLeod, our principal contractor, on Strathy South having worked with them on previous construction projects."

Colin Maclean, Director at RJ McLeod's North Office, added: "We've jointly delivered fifteen onshore wind projects with SSE Renewables, such as the recent Viking on Shetland and the previous Strathy North, and we're delighted to be working together again on this important energy asset."

Scottish Government Ministers granted planning consent for the 208MW Strathy South project in late 2021. The project's delivery will play an important role in meeting the Scottish Government's target of achieving 20GW of onshore wind by 2030. The journey to the current construction phase has been lengthy, with initial proposals for a wind farm at the site first submitted by SSE in 2007. The project has undergone several design iterations and overcome various challenges, including the closure of Ofgem's Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) scheme, to reach this point.