The completion of a wind farm and 260km subsea transmission link has connected the Shetland Islands to the GB electricity grid for the first time.

SSE hailed the milestone, describing it as a “groundbreaking achievement for clean energy in the UK”.

The energy giant said the 103-turbine Viking Wind Farm has an installed capacity of 443 megawatts (MW) and is expected to produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 500,000 homes each year.

The subsea cable – a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link – will enable the energy generated in the Shetland Isles to flow to the rest of the UK. It will also allow for electricity to be sent back to Shetland, ensuring a reliable supply for the islands.

The two projects mark a £1bn investment by SSE as part of a £20.5bn commitment to UK clean energy infrastructure by 2027.

First Minister John Swinney said: “The completion of these projects is a significant step in unlocking the green energy potential of the Shetland islands.

“These developments will not only aid us in our efforts to decarbonise our energy system, but help to stimulate sustainable economic growth in the local area.

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“It is welcome that Scotland’s onshore wind capacity continues to expand. This is a vital component of our mission to bring about a just transition to net zero.”

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The Viking site is expected to become one of the UK’s most productive onshore wind farms.

During peak construction, SSE said the projects supported about 650 jobs and contributed £125m to the Shetland economy.

The ongoing operations will support 35 permanent roles and are expected to contribute more than £70m to the local economy over the lifetime of the wind farm.

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SSE said the new wind farm was a “significant addition” to the UK’s renewable energy portfolio, increasing the combined onshore and offshore wind capacity to more than 30GW – enough to meet the annual power needs of about 26 million homes.

The firm said the projects underline the UK’s commitment to transitioning to a clean energy future, reducing carbon emissions by more than 35 million tonnes annually.

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Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE chief executive, said: “Delivery of both the Viking Wind Farm and Shetland HVDC transmission link are big engineering achievements and together represent a major milestone on the UK’s path to a clean energy system.

“Shetland and the wider North Sea have long supported the country’s energy security and now they are playing a significant role in decarbonising our power system.

“But it has taken nearly two decades for these projects to move from concept to completion and if we are serious about delivering clean power by 2030 – less than 2,000 days away – we need to make it much easier and faster to build this kind of mission-critical infrastructure.”

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