Construction of the Caledonia offshore wind farm took another step forward after Aberdeenshire Council approved Ocean Winds to build an underground cable corridor. The project, spanning approximately 3 kilometers, will connect the park to the national power grid. The company confirmed that the on-site construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.
What is Project Caledonia?
It’s a 2 GW (gigawatt) giant offshore wind farm part of Scotland’s offshore expansion under the ScotWind program. Located next to the Moray East and Moray West projects in the Moray Firth, the park will supply clean electricity equivalent to 2 million households per year
The project also represents a significant investment for the Scottish supply chain due to the demand for industrial services related to engineering, manufacturing, port logistics, vessels and maintenance.
Why is it important that it be underground?
Primarily, to avoid a permanent visual impact by going underground, there will be no visible cables or infrastructure to disrupt the region’s natural landscape. Furthermore, environmental agencies and local authorities often favor underground solutions because they generate less permanent impact on communities, historical heritage and ecosystems.
The company explained that the design was defined after environmental assessments and consultations with organizations such as SEPA, Historic Environment Scotland and NatureScot.
Awaiting authorization from the Scottish Government
This is just the approval for the land portion of the cable, Ocean Winds is still waiting for the Scottish Government decide whether to grant them final authorization to operate at sea. Caledonia project director, Mark Baxter noted that the decision represents an important step forward for the development of renewable energy infrastructure in Scotland.
Source and photo: Caledonia offshore wind farm