SSE starts up Scottish wind farm billed as UK's 'most productive'

UK utility SSE has started up electricity production at the 443MW Viking Wind Farm in Shetland, which is expected to become a UK record-breaker in terms of productivity.

SSE announced the start up after installing the final turbine. Final preparations are underway for the Shetland Isles' connection to the UK's mainland electricity transmission grid, by virtue of a 260km Shetland High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable laid by SSE subsidiary SSEN Transmission.

"Engineers will continue to progress through commissioning ahead of the wind farm reaching full power and entering commercial operations later in summer 2024, when it is expected to become the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm," SSE said in a statement.

Viking Wind Farm will be capable of generating enough electricity to power the equivalent of almost half a million typical British homes annually.

Construction of the wind farm began in the autumn of 2020 and the last of the 103 turbines being installed at the site in August 2023. First electricity was not scheduled until 2024, however.

John Scott, SSEN Transmission’s Programme Director, said: “The first flow of power from Shetland to the mainland on the Shetland HVDC link is a key moment for the Shetland community. Full energisation, linking Shetland to the GB transmission system for the first time will be crucial in delivering Shetland’s energy security as well as enabling extensive renewable generation development and export.

“We can now look forward to working through the remaining commissioning phases of the project before it is fully energised later this summer."

When fully operational, SSE said Viking’s 103 Vestas turbines will operate in 4.3MW power mode capable of generating around 1.8TWh of renewable electricity annually. "Viking Wind Farm will be the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm in terms of annual electricity output when complete," the utility affirmed.