Shetland Islands Broadcasting Company

The 108 metre, Russian, special-purpose underwater intelligence-collection vessel Yantar is heading for Murmansk after a visit to Algeria. The Yantar has submersibles which can sever cables at depths of up to 6,000 metres. In recent days the Yantar has been hanging about in waters near Shetland and the north of Scotland.

The UK defence secretary John Healey told a Westminster briefing that the Yantar had been operating on the edge of UK waters north of Scotland and that it was designed for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s undersea cables.

Mr Healey revealed that the UK had deployed a Royal Navy frigate. That frigate was the 33 year old, 133 metre, type 23 HMS Somerset, which is now at Holmsgarth 5 in Lerwick harbour until Sunday.

SSEN is rescheduling its consultation event to discuss proposals for the Kergord 2 substation and associated overhead line connections in the north mainland.

In the Scottish parliament debate on the UK government’s Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, Beatrice Wishart proposed an amendment that called for the proportionate allocation of funding, recognising the contribution of the fishing industry to island and coastal communities and to Scotland’s wider economy.

In a statement to parliament, the Scottish government has confirmed that, from next month, grant funding of up to £9,000 will be available for households in islands, and in remote rural areas, to connect to local district heating networks, including that provided by Shetland Heat Energy and Power.

Two super high frequency microwave dishes are being proposed for the communications tower on Ward Hill in Fair Isle, connecting to Scousburgh Hill, to improve telecommunications to and from Fair Isle, including telephone, internet, streaming and broadcast services.