Our first round of consultation on our Western Link 2 project has now closed - thank you to everyone who visited our local events and shared feedback online.
Western Link 2 is a major investment developed by SP Energy Networks in partnership with National Grid Electricity Transmission. It's a new High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea electrical link that will connect Ayrshire in Scotland with the transmission network in Wales.
This first round of consultation sought people’s views on the four main elements of the project:
- a 13km underground cable linking a new converter station next to Kilmarnock South Substation with a landfall point on the coast near Monkton, Ayrshire
- a 30km offshore HVDC cable between Monkton and a new switching station at Grangestone industrial estate, north of Girvan in Ayrshire
- an offshore HVDC cable between Grangestone industrial estate and Wales
- a new underground cable and a converter station in Wales.
Following this first round of consultation, we will develop detailed designs for the landfall, converter station, switching station and cable routes, including locations for access routes and working areas.
We will publish a report summarising the feedback received in this first round of consultation and how this has influenced our plans.
We will then carry out detailed environmental appraisals on the marine and onshore elements of the project and hold a further round of public consultation on the detailed designs.
SP Energy Networks will be applying to East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils for planning permission in principle (PiP) under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act.
Find out more about the project at Western Link 2 - SP Energy Networks