NKT Wraps Up Work on Shetland Renewables Interconnector

Danish subsea cable and services firm NKT, in close collaboration with SSEN Transmission, has completed the turnkey project of connecting the Shetland Islands to the main grid in Scotland with the Shetland HVDC Link.

The 320 kV HVDC interconnector is now a key contributor to the integration of renewable energy in Great Britain.

Interconnected power grids are essential to the green transition and with the completion of the Shetland HVDC Link, 600 MW of renewable energy can now flow from the Shetland Islands to the Scottish mainland.

NKT has finalized the turnkey project connecting the remote islands in the North Sea to the main grid with two HVDC 320 kV power cables.

NKT installed 253 km offshore and 10 km onshore power cables, unlocking the Islands' renewable potential while also securing a continuous supply of low-carbon power.

As part of the environmental focus of the operation, the installation of the submarine power cable system was completed by energy efficient NKT Victoria cable laying vessel.

“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with SSEN Transmission, utilizing our extensive HVDC technology expertise to support a low-carbon power supply for the Shetland Islands. With the completion of the Shetland HVDC Link, our contribution to the development of the power grid in Scotland and Great Britain continues,” said Darren Fennell, head of NKT’s high-voltage business in Karlskrona, Sweden.

The power cables for the Shetland HVDC Link were manufactured at the NKT factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, which runs on 100% renewable electricity, minimizing the carbon footprint of the cable system.