Work begins on 203-kilometer Scottish HVDC transmission link

February 5, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

Both onshore and offshore enabling works have commenced for the development of the 2 GW Spittal to Peterhead subsea cable link project in Scotland, which will support national clean power and energy security ambitions.

Fugro’s WaveWalker1 set up for investigation activities. Source: SSEN Transmission

The 203-kilometer high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link will connect the Banniskirk Hub substation development in Caithness to the Netherton Hub in Aberdeenshire, with 166 kilometers of cable running subsea from Sinclair’s Bay in Caithness through the Moray Firth to Rattray Head near Peterhead.

Danish NKT, the project’s cable supplier, has appointed Aberdeen‑based civil engineering specialists Nicol of Skene and Caithness‑based John Gunn & Sons to construct the onshore cable sections at Peterhead and Spittal, respectively.

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) at the Rattray Estate, north of Peterhead, has begun, with additional HDD activity planned at both onshore cable sections in the months ahead. Work on this initial HDD activity is expected to be completed by spring.

As for offshore activities, Fugro has started nearshore investigations to inform the final subsea cable route and its jack-up barge WaveWalker1 is preparing to carry out geotechnical borehole investigations at Rattray Head to gather detailed information on seabed composition and nearshore geology, after which it will move on to Sinclair’s Bay.

“The start of HDD works by NKT and their sub-contractor Nicol of Skene, and the mobilisation of Fugro’s WaveWalker1 jack-up barge contracted directly to SSEN Transmission for nearshore marine surveys, mark an exciting milestone for the Spittal to Peterhead project,” said Niall MacLeod, Project Director for the Spittal to Peterhead project.

“These early activities lay the groundwork for a resilient, future-ready HVDC link that will help deliver the clean power and energy security the UK needs, while supporting jobs and local supply chains across the north of Scotland.”

The Spittal-Peterhead link is seen as a crucial component of SSEN Transmission’s £20 billion Pathway to 2030 investment program, described as one of the biggest investments undertaken in the north of Scotland for decades.