The turnkey project connects the Shetland Islands to the main grid in Scotland with the Shetland 320 kV HVDC link. The interconnector is now a key contributor to the integration of renewable energy in Great Britain.

Sep 12, 2024

Interconnected power grids are essential to the green transition and with the completion of the Shetland HVDC Link 600 MW of renewable energy can now flow from the Shetland Islands to the Scottish mainland.

NKT has finalized the turnkey project connecting the remote islands in the North Sea to the main grid with two HVDC (direct current) 320 kV power cables. As part of the project, NKT installed 253 km offshore and 10 km onshore power cables, unlocking the Islands’ renewable potential while also securing a continuous supply of low-carbon power.

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“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with SSEN Transmission, utilizing our extensive HVDC technology expertise to support a low-carbon power supply for the Shetland Islands. With the completion of the Shetland HVDC Link, our contribution to the development of the power grid in Scotland and Great Britain continues,” said Executive Vice President Darren Fennell, head of NKT’s high-voltage business in Karlskrona, Sweden.

The power cable project was completed on-time, on-budget, and with high consideration for the local environment and biodiversity.

“During the project, we took extra precautions to monitor and protect the local wildlife. This proves it’s possible to enable the green transition while safeguarding local wildlife during cable installation,” said Darren Fennell.

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The power cables for the Shetland HVDC Link were manufactured at the NKT factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, which runs on 100 percent renewable electricity, minimizing the carbon footprint of the cable system. As part of the environmental focus of the operation, the installation of the submarine power cable system was completed by NKT Victoria, one of the most energy efficient cable-laying vessels in the industry.