A series of crucial marine surveys have commenced and will continue over the coming months in Sandford Bay, near Boddam, Peterhead, as part of the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project.

This initiative, a joint venture between SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission, is set to become the UK's largest ever electricity transmission project, involving the installation of a 505km, 2GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable connecting Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in Yorkshire. The "electricity superhighway" is designed to transport enough clean energy to power approximately two million homes.

To inform the precise route and design of the subsea cable, a phased schedule of marine survey activities will be conducted:

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• Geophysical Surveys (May-June 2025): Vessels will perform daily sweeps of Sandford Bay to gather data on the seabed and subsurface.

• Geotechnical Surveys (July-August 2025): A jack-up barge will collect seabed core samples at four offshore locations.

• Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Investigations (August-October 2025): Remote operated vehicles will scan an 80-meter-wide seabed corridor along the proposed cable route to detect and safely assess any potential unexploded ordnance.

In addition to the offshore work, onshore environmental and technical surveys near Sandford Bay also began this month.

Ricky Saez, EGL2 Project Director, highlighted the importance of these activities, stating, "These surveys are an essential part of planning and delivering a project that will help unlock the full potential of Scotland and the UK's renewable energy resources." He extended gratitude for the cooperation of local residents and the fishing community.

Public access to the beach will remain unaffected throughout the survey operations. Notices to mariners will be issued prior to each survey phase, and the project team has committed to ongoing collaboration with the local fishing community.

For more information and regular updates, visit www.easterngreenlink2.co.uk or contact the Community Liaison Manager, Gillian Doig, at [email protected].