Description

The wind farm’s export cables will come ashore at the former Cockenzie Power Station site on the Firth of Forth coastline in East Lothian. The substation’s location right on the coast and in close proximity to the existing grid connection means that there will be minimal disruption to local communities or the countryside during construction.

Progress

Inch Cape secured Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) for the proposed onshore transmission works in February 2019 and signed a land agreement with East Lothian Council.  

Work started on the 2.6 hectare site earlier in 2023 with principal contractor Siemens Energy leading the activity.  RJ McLeod, a leading Scottish civil engineering company, completed the enabling works in October 2023 which included demolition and backfilling, minor drainage activity, plus the erection of site accommodation and a five-metre-high retaining wall. 

The next phase will be the main civil works and will comprise: further drainage, creation of concrete bases, internal roads and bunds, landscaping, and the erection of steel-framed buildings. The Inch Cape team will continue to liaise with the community on the programme, particularly on the arrival of heavy loads.