Plans to extend remote Melgarve substation are axed

Plans for an extension to a substation in the remote Mondahliaths have been scrapped at least for now after one of the proposed wind farms to be connected to the power hub was rejected.

It follows proposals for Glenshero Wind Farm comprising 39 turbines being rejected by Scottish Ministers in March, earlier this year.

The developer behind the plans has now terminated its grid connection agreement with SSEN Transmission.

A spokeswoman for the energy giants said: "Following the recent refusal of Glensherro Wind Farm’s Section 36 planning application, the wind farm developer, RES, has now terminated its grid connection agreement.

"SSEN Transmission has now reassessed the capacity of Melgarve Substation and has concluded that the substation will no longer require an extension to accommodate the connection of Dell and Cloiche wind farms.

"The situation will be reassessed should further applications be made for connections to the network in this area in the future."

The substation extension was expected to add an extra 25 per cent on to the existing substation located at Melgarve. The current site is approximately 2.8 hectares in size.

Glenshero – eight kilometres to the north-west of Laggan – was deemed to be 'not the right place' for a wind farm

The applicaiton for the development in the southern Monadhliath was rejected because of the visual impact the 39 turbines, reaching 135 metres at tip height, would have had.

High-profile national conservation organisations and charities had objected to the renewable energy project, as had the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), which said the wind farm would have been visible from key spots within its boundaries.

The go-ahead for what was termed the Melagrve Cluster could have led to 155 turbines in close proximity in previously wildland

Objectors said the impact would have been exacerbated given that the turbines at Glenshero would have abutted with Stronelairg, the biggest wind farm approved so far in the Highlands and Islands.

Its 66 turbines are now all in place, and there is also another proposed wind farm at Cloiche with 36 turbines in the pipeline to the west of Stronelairg and north west of Glenshero.

The 14-turbine Dell wind farm has consent at the northern edge of Stronelairg.

To enable the connection of the proposed new wind farms, additional work was required at Melgarve substation to accommodate them.

This would require an extension to the substation by summer 2025 if all the new wind farms were approved.

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