Visit to Hunterston Converter Station

I enjoyed a fascinating visit to Scottish Power’s £1.2 billion Western High Voltage Direct Current link facility at Hunterston.

The 2,250 megawatt, 422 kilometre link through the Irish sea to Connah’s Quay in Wales has been fully operational since 22 November 2019.

The link is buried about 1.5 metres below the seabed allows the maximisation of power, primarily from renewable resources, that can be exported from Scotland to Liverpool and Manchester.

Although power heads south, transmission can run in either direction. There are two cables some 30 metres apart.

Such high voltages mean transmission losses are only about 3% and there has been no impact on marine life.

The Hunterston facility requires only two operational staff, but I was delighted to meet some Scottish Power apprentices at the facility.