Scottish Government

Realise potential of Stornoway's Western Harbour as an Energy Portal for the Outer Hebrides.

NPF2 Paragraph Reference

221

Contribution to NPF Strategy

• Contributes to Sustainable Economic Development.
• Expands opportunities for communities and businesses by promoting environmental quality and good connectivity.
• Helps meet climate change, renewable energy or waste management targets.
• Supports sustainable growth in the rural.

Pre 2012 - Develop the potential of the Western Harbour as an Energy Portal through the development plans and associated action programmes, partners' plans and programmes and development management decisions. Consider Scottish Government's'Community and Economic Benefit'study, and the need for environmental assessment, appropriate assessment and detailed scheme level mitigation at plan or project level.

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) expected to make application in 2009. Noting the inter-connector is a key project trigger, SHETL now has certain conditional approvals in place for infrastructure elements and a further application has been made autumn 2010.

Lead Partner(s)/Delivery Bodies

July, 2011 - the focus of development of the Energy Portal at Arnish has potential to serve offshore renewable energy developments in the Minch and West of Hebrides. Arnish is now part of the Scottish Government's National Renewables Infrastructure Plan and whilst Arnish is a substation for the interconnector the landfall point is further south at Gravir. The Comhairle's aspiration for relocation of the oil and power stations to Arnish is no longer a priority.

March 27, 2009 - SHET Ltd received consent from the Scottish government to lay a sub sea electrical cable between Dundonnell on the mainland to Grabhair on Lewis