Contracts awarded to local businesses John Gunn & Sons (Caithness) and Nicol of Skene (Aberdeen) to construct onshore land cable sections.
The Spittal to Peterhead subsea electricity transmission project has taken a major step forward with the Scottish Government Marine Directorate granting its marine licence. This major milestone will unlock significant opportunities for local businesses in the north of Scotland.
The Spittal to Peterhead High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable link is a 166km, 2GW subsea link between Sinclair’s Bay in Caithness and Rattray Head near Peterhead and will play a major role in Scotland and the UK’s journey towards a secure, clean energy future. The subsea cable will connect into the recently consented Netherton hub near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, and the proposed Banniskirk Hub in Caithness.
It comes as part of SSEN Transmission’s £22bn+ investment to upgrade the north of Scotland’s electricity transmission grid – the marine licence approval follows years of development, offshore surveys, and extensive engagement with marine users, stakeholders, and communities.
Local businesses at the heart of delivery
Key contracts have been awarded to John Gunn & Sons, based in Caithness, and Nicol of Skene, based in Aberdeen, to construct the onshore cable sections at Spittal and Peterhead respectively.
These awards underline SSEN Transmission’s commitment to ensuring major infrastructure projects create meaningful local value, supporting jobs, skills development, and supply chains across the north of Scotland.
Welcoming the news, David Inge, Offshore Development Portfolio Manager at SSEN Transmission said, “Securing this marine licence marks an important milestone for our programme to strengthen Scotland’s transmission network and support the transition to cleaner, more secure energy. This progress isn’t only about national ambitions; it reflects our commitment to bringing lasting opportunities to the communities where we work. Appointing Caithness-based John Gunn & Sons and Aberdeen-based Nicol of Skene demonstrates how we are ensuring local businesses benefit directly from this investment.
In developing our plans, we have spent considerable time engaging with coastal communities, marine users and a wide range of partners across Caithness and Aberdeenshire. Their insight has played a key role in refining our proposals and ensuring they are shaped by those who know the area best. Now that consent has been granted, we want to thank everyone who took part in the process. We look forward to working constructively with the Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team and stakeholders as the project moves forward into its delivery phase.”
Brendan Reynolds, Project Manager at John Gunn & Sons said, “We are delighted to be working on the new Spittal to Peterhead Project on behalf of SSEN Transmission. Having previously worked on the Caithness section of the Shetland HVDC Link, we are once again very excited to be involved in such an important project. John Gunn & Sons has a long history working in the Caithness area in both civil engineering and quarrying operations.
This contract provides us with significant opportunity to expand and upskill our existing workforce, boost the local economy through additional employment opportunities and support the local supply chain in the Caithness and the Highland region. We look forward to working with SSEN Transmission and their partners and wish all parties involved every success on the project ahead.”
Peter-Jon Cowe, Chief Operating Officer at Nicol of Skene said, “This contract award is a significant milestone for all of us at Nicol of Skene, and it reflects the tremendous effort, commitment, and collaboration that our entire team, and our partners have put in to bring it over the line. We are proud to play a part in delivering the Spittal to Peterhead subsea link, a project that will strengthen Scotland’s energy future while creating real benefits here in Aberdeenshire. Our civil engineering and horizontal directional drilling divisions can now focus on delivering the construction phase of this prestigious project.
As an Aberdeen-based firm, this contract gives us the opportunity to support local careers, continue growing our business, and work with our supply chain partners to deliver high-quality infrastructure here in the North East of Scotland. It’s a great example of how major national projects can bring lasting value to local communities.”
Main construction works are expected to begin following final design and procurement work, and subject to planning consent for the Banniskirk Hub, with completion targeted to align with the UK’s 2030 clean power ambitions.
For more information on the project, visit https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/project-map/spittal–peterhead-subsea-cable-link/.