What we know, what we are checking, and what we are asking

What we know

• SSEN lists Shetland HVDC Link 2 at Project Assessment, the first of five published stages.
• Boyne Bay and Boyndie Bay remain landfall options after Sandend was discounted.
• SSEN says the mainland underground cable route will be up to approximately 30 km, depending on final endpoints and route.
• The preferred Aberdeenshire landfall, mainland cable route and preferred Strathbogie Hub site remain in development.
• SSEN's May booklet identifies Cruchie (Site 6) and Rivestone (Site 14) as the two shortlisted Strathbogie Hub sites; its current page says a preferred site is not yet known.
• SSEN has scheduled Shetland 2 events in Whitehills and Banff and opened a written-feedback window. Current dates, venues and the submission route are maintained on the Updates page.
• Netherton ECU00006167 is open for representations and SSEN has submitted updated ecology, protected-species and mitigation addenda.
• The Beauly–Peterhead OHL remains in the DPEA inquiry process as TRL-270-2 / ECU00005165.
• The applicant's September public notice states approximately 186 km of new main OHL plus approximately 14.7 km of crossing, diversion and realignment works, giving approximately 200.7 km of new OHL infrastructure in total.

What we are checking

• The nature and extent of any strategic dependency between the Beauly–Peterhead OHL and the proposed Strathbogie Hub.
• Current DPEA evidence and procedure concerning Fanellan traffic and Black Bridge, cumulative construction traffic, agricultural operations, community participation and Raeshaw/workers accommodation.
• SSEN's Netherton ecology addendum, which reports DNA-confirmed water-vole presence, updated mitigation and a no-significant-effects prediction conditional on the stated measures.
• The Aultmore Indicative Grid Route Appraisal and the substantive 2026 Glen Earrach Additional Information package.
• Keith and Cairnie battery-storage proposals and expected October consultations.
• The Dunscroft aviation research lead. The meeting-reported phrase “Air Traffic Control” does not identify a particular body, and no formal MOD or aviation-body objection has yet been verified from a primary source.
• Whether BESS, private wire, data-centre demand, further substations or other associated development are ruled out, reasonably foreseeable, enabled or being left outside current public framing.
• Wider questions about how local evidence is preserved, categorised and used in consultation and decision-making.

What we are asking

• How are all shortlisted Strathbogie Hub sites being compared?
• Has cumulative impact been assessed as one whole picture?
• What associated infrastructure is ruled out, reasonably foreseeable, enabled or outside scope?
• What happens to the Strathbogie Hub case if related infrastructure is refused, delayed, rerouted, undergrounded, materially changed or significantly conditioned?
• How is local evidence preserved and handled?
• Has each site been future climate stress-tested?
• Who owns, who profits, who carries risk, who loses land, who gains capacity, and what public benefit is secured locally?
• What level of transparency is being provided to communities compared with developers, land interests and asset owners?

How you can help

You can help by sharing local knowledge, forwarding relevant documents, telling us about notices, meetings or consultation gaps, signing the petition, and using the public tools already available. The mailing list and newsletter are coming soon.

We will continue to update this page as evidence develops. Save the Deveron Valley is committed to a careful, evidence-led, publicly accountable approach.