Shetland HVDC Connection

Country	Scotland, United Kingdom
From	Upper Kergord Valley, Shetland
Passes through	Weisdale Voe North Sea Portgordon
To	Blackhillock, near Keith, Moray
Operator	Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission
Expected	2016
Type	Submarine cable
Type of current	HVDC
Total length	345 km (214 mi)
Power rating	550 MW
No. of circuits	1

Shetland HVDC Connection is a planned high-voltage direct current submarine power cable to connect the Shetland Islands to the Scottish mainland. It is being developed by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission, a subsidiary of SSE plc.

The project was proposed in 2007. In January 2008, the report published by the Crown Estate found the project would be "economically and technically possible". At the same year, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission filed planning application and started public consultations.

The interconnector will start at the Upper Kergord Valley converter station on Shetland. From the converter station an underground cable will be laid to a landing area in Weisdale Voe. From there, a subsea cable was planned to run 320 kilometres (200 mi) to Portgordon on the Scottish mainland, and then on to Blackhillock substation, near Keith, Moray via 25-kilometre (16 mi) underground cable. However, the end point was moved to Spittal, Highland.

En route, the cable crosses TAT-10, TAT-14 and Atlantic Crossing 1 telecommunication cables and the Piper–Flotta oil pipeline.

The interconnector will be most likely single HVDC circuit as the most economic approach; however, also two and three circuits solutions by using VSC HVDC solutions are under consideration. It will have capacity of 550–600 MW and it will operate at 300 kV. It is expected to cost over £300 million.

The project is needed for development of Shetland's renewable energy potential and it is necessary for the projects such us the Viking Wind Farm and the Aegir wave farm.

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