Next section of subsea cable laying gets under way in Weisdale Voe

The NKT Victoria in Weisdale Voe. Photo: SSEN Transmission

The penultimate section of subsea cable laying for the Viking windfarm project has gotten under way in the Weisdale Voe.

Specialist cable laying vessel NKT Victoria and her team have begun laying around 60km of cable, which will connect Shetland to the national electricity grid for the first time,

The cable was pulled ashore through previously installed ducts by a winch on the shore at Weisdale, SSEN Transmission said.

The NKT Victoria will now make her way out to sea along the cable route, slowly lowering around cable onto the seabed.

Around 260km of subsea cable will be installed between Noss Head in Caithness and Weisdale Voe for the £660 million high voltage direct current (HVCD) project.

The first 100km was installed in July last year, with the final 100km to be completed later in 2023.

HVDC project director John Scott said this was “another major and hugely symbolic milestone”.

 “It’s been great to see the cable make landfall in Shetland as the vessel begins her voyage into the North Sea and kick off the next cable campaign,” he said.

“The second cable campaign marks an exciting step in the project for SSEN Transmission and our contractors, and we look forward to the completion of this phase of the subsea cable campaign over the coming weeks.”