East Lothian Council has approved SSE Renewables plans for the development of Seagreen 1A, a new onshore substation at Cockenzie.

The Seagreen 1A project is a proposal to build the remaining 36 consented offshore wind turbines adjacent to Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, which required a separate grid connection through the Cockenzie substation. The proposed onshore substation is therefore an essential component to enable connection into the national electricity grid and help Scotland reach a net-zero carbon future.

The substation proposals had been recommended for approval by East Lothian Council planning officers, subject to conditions, and had received no local representations against the plans.


With all planning consent now secured, the developers will continue to engage fully with the supply chain over the coming months to drive the project forward. Delivery of the project is subject to securing an economic route to market ahead of a final investment decision.

Seagreen 1A is being taken forward by Seagreen Wind Energy Ltd (SWEL), a joint venture between SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies.

Simon Hindson, Lead Onshore Consents Manager for Seagreen, said: "We welcome the continued support from East Lothian Council. We have worked hard on the detailed designs and all the proposed Seagreen 1A substation buildings will be significantly lower in height than the existing substation next door. Our plans have also been well received comprising a collection of smaller buildings, rather than one larger building, and for being set back from the road allowing for the incorporation of landscaping."

The Seagreen 1A team is keen to build further links with local community groups and is committed to continuing to show support for local events. Plans are being progressed for the team to meet with local Community Councils to share more information on the project and take forward discussions on community benefit.