The British power distribution company Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN, part of the SSE Group) has submitted a Strategic Wider Works (SWW) ‘Final Needs Case’ for the 220 MW Orkney-Scotland subsea power transmission project to the British regulator Ofgem. The transmission link would initially comprise a single 220-kV subsea cable scheduled for completion in October 2022, followed by a second similar cable once further generation has committed and if it is labelled as economic.
The Orkney islands are estimated to have a significant renewable energies potential, in particular regarding tidal, onshore and offshore wind. Following the development of small-scale renewable generation projects in the recent years, the island's power network is operating at full capacity and no additional power generation capacity can connect without significant network reinforcements.