Residents in East Lothian watched as a huge transformer was moved through the streets of their town.
The super grid transformer was moved from the Port of Leith to the Inchcape Offshore Wind Farm Substation in Cockenzie. Locals said it was ‘like nothing they’ve ever seen’.
Road closures were in place on Edinburgh Road, with hedges ‘temporarily removed’ to allow it to pass. The move comes almost a decade after the former Cockenzie Power Station was demolished.
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Leanne Cochrane, who shared an image of the transformer with Edinburgh Live, said: “I’ve lived here for years and it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. It was incredible, that driver deserves a medal.”
The huge device will boost the new stations ‘capacity and resilience’. National Grid described them on their site, stating:”Supergrid transformers are vital high voltage devices which boost substations’ capacity and resilience, stepping voltage up or down so electricity can be efficiently transmitted from power generators or safely distributed to homes and businesses via regional networks.”
Warning of road closures, East Lothian Council said: “East Lothian Council is facilitating parking restrictions and road closures to allow for delivery of two super grid transformer units to the Inchcape development on the former Cockenzie Power Station site.
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“The restrictions will take place overnight on Sunday 12 and Sunday 19 January to allow for the abnormal loads to be transported from the Port of Leith to the Inchcape Offshore Wind Farm Substation being constructed at Cockenzie.
“The route involves the A1, A198 at Bankton Junction, B6371 (Meadowmill roundabout to East Lorimer Place) and B1348 Edinburgh Road to the site. Road closures will be in operation in the early hours of the morning on the B1348 Edinburgh Road from its junction with Avenue Road to its junction with Cadell Place.
“Parking suspensions will be in place between 6pm on Sunday and 6am on Monday on both dates. A section of hedge at East Lorimer Place will be temporarily removed to allow the abnormal load to pass and this will be replanted following the completion of the deliveries.
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“The hedge removed will be replanted at Drummhor Cemetery to ensure continued growth and new hedging planted in the original location once the deliveries have concluded.”
Cockenzie Power Station was decommissioned in 2013 and two years later thousands of people gathered on land and sea to witness the demolition of its twin chimneys, which had become a coastal landmark for locals. East Lothian Council bought the giant 230 acre site from ScottishPower in 2018, with a vision of creating employment and an economic centre from it.
Inchcape Offshore Limited have since commenced construction of the substation that will bring renewable electricity generated at sea to ground, for onward transmission to the National Grid, on the western part of where the power station was located.