Ocean Winds, a 50/50 joint venture between EDPR and ENGIE dedicated to offshore wind energy, and the largest offshore wind operator in Scotland, has received full onshore planning consent for its Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm.
Following a meeting of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee on May 14th, the local authority has given the green light for the cable infrastructure required to connect the 2GW project to the national electricity transmission grid.
With onshore construction planned to start in 2028, Caledonia will be capable of powering the equivalent of 2 million homes annually and combined with Moray East and Moray West will take Ocean Winds’ long-term skilled operational roles in the Moray Firth to over 200.
Caledonia represents a huge investment opportunity for the Scottish supply chain, supporting jobs across manufacturing, engineering, ports and vessels, as well as long-term operations and maintenance positions.
Aberdeenshire Council’s approval specifically covers an underground cable corridor of around 3 kilometres; an additional application made necessary by a small rerouting of the project’s onshore infrastructure.
It will connect the consented Caledonia substation at Burnside to the planned new SSEN Transmission substation at Greens, meaning green energy from the wind farm can be fed into the grid.
Informed by detailed environmental assessments and consultation with relevant statutory consultees, including SEPA, Historic Environment Scotland and NatureScot, the cable connection will be installed underground, ensuring there will be no permanent visual impact.
Aberdeenshire Council’s approval represents a key milestone in the development of Caledonia, with Ocean Winds now awaiting a decision on offshore consent from the Scottish Government.
Mark Baxter, Caledonia Project Director, said:
“We welcome Aberdeenshire Council’s decision to grant consent for this important onshore infrastructure, which represents another significant step forward for the Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm.
“The approved underground cable connection is essential to enabling the project to connect into the electricity transmission network and deliver renewable energy at scale, supporting Scotland’s and the UK’s energy transition ambitions.
“We would like to thank all stakeholders, consultees and local communities who engaged constructively throughout the planning process.”
Ocean Winds secured development rights for Caledonia, which is located adjacent to the company’s operating Moray East and Moray West Offshore Wind Farms in the Moray Firth, in 2021 through the Scottish Government’s ScotWind leasing round.
Development of the Caledonia project commenced in 2022, including preparation of onshore infrastructure required to connect the offshore wind farm to the transmission network. Planning consent for the project’s onshore substation at Burnside was granted in July 2025.
Subsequent regulatory and grid connection developments identified the requirement for Caledonia to connect to the planned SSEN Transmission substation at Greens, necessitating this additional onshore cable infrastructure.
Mr Baxter added:
“The Caledonia project marks another major milestone in the continued development of the Moray Firth as a nationally significant clean energy hub.
“By building on the success of Moray East and Moray West, our investment in Caledonia will deliver vital infrastructure to strengthen the UK’s electricity network, support hundreds of skilled jobs across the region, and reinforce Scotland’s leading role in driving the transition to secure, homegrown renewable energy.”
