Marine surveys underway for ‘UK’s biggest ever’ electricity transmission project

Marine surveys are set to take place in Sandford Bay near Boddam, Peterhead, over the coming months as part of the Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) development, which is said to be the UK’s largest electricity transmission project to date.

EGL2 is a joint venture between SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission. The project involves the installation of a 505-kilometer, 2 GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable connecting Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in Yorkshire. 

According to SSEN Transmission, once operational, the cable will transport renewable electricity capable of powering around two million homes.

Geophysical surveys will run from May to June 2025. Vessels will conduct daily sweeps of Sandford Bay to gather seabed and subsurface data. This will be followed by geotechnical surveys in July and August 2025, when a jack-up barge will take core samples from the seabed at four offshore positions. 

SSEN Transmission said that from August through October 2025, remotely operated vehicles (ROV) will scan an 80-metre-wide corridor along the planned cable route to identify and assess potential unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Construction of EGL2 started in September 2024. In parallel with offshore work, onshore environmental and technical surveys are said to begin this month near Sandford Bay. 

“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,” said Ricky Saez, EGL2 Project Director.

“We’re grateful for the cooperation of local residents and the fishing community as we work to deliver this nationally important infrastructure.”

Public access to the beach will remain open throughout all survey activity. Notices to mariners will be issued before each phase begins, and the project team has committed to ongoing coordination with the local fishing sector, SSEN Transmission noted. 

EGL2 is expected to support hundreds of skilled jobs during the construction phase and thousands more across the wider economy, including through supply chain activity. It is expected to be fully energized and operational in 2029. 

Just recently, the UK National Grid and SSEN Transmission set in motion the first steps to develop Eastern Green Link (EGL5), the UK’s fifth subsea electricity superhighway that would connect Scotland and England, by launching a public consultation.