08 - How long will the project take to build?

If consent for the line is received in early 2009 and SHETL and SPT obtain the necessary approvals to start work by the 1 June 2009, then the estimated commissioning date for the new line is September 2012. However, due to the seasonal constraints and timing of the necessary electrical outages to facilitate the new build programme, if work cannot commence in June 2009 then the start of construction would be delayed until 2010 and the commissioning of the new line would be delayed by a full year to September 2013.

If consent is granted for only part or parts of the line then SHETL and SPT would need to review the consent and revise its construction programme accordingly. The impact on the final commissioning date for the network reinforcement would depend on the solutions identified to ‘bridge’ the sections of the line for which consent was not granted. If, for example, an alternative overhead line route was identified then a further s37 consent application would be required. Such an application could potentially delay completion of the line by at least three years (subject to the progress of the section 37 application).

If consent is not granted then SHETL would immediately commence work to bring forward an alternative network reinforcement or reinforcements.  At this time, no alternative reinforcement has been identified as Beauly-Denny remains, by far, the optimum solution to the demand for transmission capacity in the north ofScotland. Alternative solutions which would also require Ofgem approval would result in additional radial transmission lines in order to harvest the generation, a higher cost to consumers and would significantly delay the development of renewable generation inScotland.