CONSTRUCTION work on an electrical substation on the site of the former Cockenzie Power Station is expected to get under way “shortly”.

Seventy-two turbines will be created 15km off the Angus coast at the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm.

The long-planned development will connect to the national transmission system at Cockenzie and, when completed, will be Scotland’s largest single source of renewable power.

The final design for the substation – once dubbed a “big shed” by community councillors – was approved at the beginning of the year.

The main substation building will be 95m long, just over 78m at its widest and 12m high. A second building, to house a number of electricity transformers, will be 106m wide and 78m long, with a height of nearly 11m.

Now a two-year contract has been given to Innovair for drone inspection services, which will focus on the construction progress of the project’s substation at Cockenzie.

Cormac Breslin, project control co-ordinator at Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, said: “We believe that [Innovair’s] locality and expertise in drone inspection will ensure that we can maintain the highest standards of safety and quality during construction and help us to achieve our project goals.”

To support the new contract, Innovair has established a new base in East Lothian and plans to hire additional staff to help meet the demand for its services.

Andrew Johnston, inspection director of Innovair, said: “This is a significant milestone for Innovair and we are thrilled to be working with Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm on this local project. We are excited about the growth opportunities this contract presents for our new base in East Lothian, demonstrating the increased need for robotic solutions across the wind sector.”

The Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm is a major component of the UK’s strategy to increase its renewable energy capacity and meet its offshore wind target. When fully operational in about 2026, it will generate the equivalent of the annual power needs of more than 1.7 million homes.

Substations convert electricity into different voltages so that it can be transmitted throughout the country.