Member News: Spittal-Peterhead subsea cable link reaches milestone as construction compounds become operational

October 6, 2026
Member News: Spittal-Peterhead subsea cable link reaches milestone as construction compounds become operational

SSEN Transmission has reached a major milestone in the delivery of its Spittal to Peterhead subsea cable link project, with the main construction compounds at both the northern and southern ends of the route now fully established and operational.

Located at Bower Quarry near Halkirk in Caithness and Blackhills near Peterhead, the sites will serve as the primary bases for the onshore cable installation works, supporting construction activity along the route in the months ahead. The facilities include office accommodation, welfare facilities and storage areas for project teams and supply chain partners involved in delivering the onshore cable package. Around 50 staff are currently based at the Bower Quarry facility, representing organisations including SSEN Transmission, principal contractor NKT and Caithness-based contractor John Gunn and Sons.

In the south, 23 permanent staff from SSEN Transmission, NKT and Aberdeenshire-based contractor Nicol of Skene are now based at the Blackhills site. Local workers will continue to be employed across both sites as the project progresses, while the opportunities created by the project are helping local contractors grow their workforces.

The establishment of both construction compounds marks an important step forward for the project, which will create a 166km, 2GW High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable link between Sinclair’s Bay in Caithness and Rattray Head near Peterhead. The link will connect into the new Banniskirk Hub in Caithness and Netherton Hub near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.

 

The milestone comes as Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) activities continue at Rattray Head, where a 1.7km drill is being constructed creating one of the UK’s longest power cable landfall connections. The technique enables the cable to be installed in pipes beneath the coastline minimising impacts on the local environment and surrounding area. Work at Rattray Head is expected to progress over the next 12 months, while similar HDD activities at Sinclair’s Bay are scheduled to begin in late 2027.

Niall Macleod, Project Director for SSEN Transmission’s Spittal to Peterhead HVDC subsea link, said:

“The establishment of our main compounds in both Caithness and Aberdeenshire represents an important milestone for the Spittal to Peterhead project.

“These facilities will act as the operational centres for our teams and supply chain partners, including local businesses John Gunn and Sons and Nicol of Skene, as we progress construction of this critical infrastructure project. With both sites now in place, we’re well positioned to move forward with the next stages of delivery.”

 

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