SSEN Transmission is inviting members of the public to attend engagement events later this month to discuss revised plans for the Beauly to Peterhead 400kV overhead line project.

These changes notably include the removal of the previously proposed Coachford substation.

In May, extensive site surveys revealed engineering and construction challenges at the Coachford site, located south of Keith, leading SSEN Transmission to discontinue plans for that substation. The upcoming events will detail these changes and present the new proposed alignment for the overhead line in the area where Coachford was initially intended. Maps and visualisations will be available, alongside handouts, with digital versions accessible on the project webpage.

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All interested parties are welcome to attend the events, which will be held on:

• Tuesday, June 24: 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Cairnie Memorial Hall in Cairnie.

• Thursday, June 26: 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Longmore Community Hall in Keith.

Feedback on the revised overhead line proposals can be submitted via forms at the events, through an online form on the project webpage, or by emailing the project team at [email protected]. The feedback period will close on July 18, with a consent application for the proposed development expected to be submitted to the Energy Consents Unit in early Autumn 2025.

Kirsty McNamara, Community Liaison Manager for the Beauly to Peterhead project, stated: "Despite finding challenges at the proposed Coachford substation location as a result of our ground investigation works, we've identified a solution that allows the objectives of the Beauly to Peterhead 400kV project to be maintained and future network development delivered."

She added that the project will help achieve clean power and energy security targets for the country, in addition to bringing significant economic benefits and employment opportunities locally and across the north of Scotland. McNamara expressed anticipation for engaging with the community on the proposed solution ahead of the consent submission later this year.