Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has announced partners for a £450m investment in the north of Scotland’s electricity distribution network.
Delivered in the next decade, five companies – OCU Utility Services, Clancy, Freedom Group, Macaulay Askernish and Brush Group – will lead the delivery of upgrades in nine allocated areas within SSEN’s north of Scotland licence area.
The works aim to boost network resilience in the face of a more volatile climate, support the connection of low carbon technologies and decarbonised industries, and increase reliability for all customers.
The investment will also see SSEN’s existing network of wooden poles and overhead lines renewed and reinforced, substations updated, and improvements made to the underground network.
SSEN Distribution’s network takes electricity on the final part of its journey into homes and businesses, so it’s a critical link to allow people to connect both existing devices – such as EV chargers, solar panels, and heat pumps – to the network.
The partners will be SSEN’s delivery partners for the transformative system upgrade to the north of Scotland’s electricity distribution infrastructure.
Their work will support the realisation of SSEN’s RIIO-ED2 commitments, helping to drive the delivery of SSE Group’s Net Zero Acceleration Programme Plus targets, and play a critical role in delivering the holistic benefits the move to net zero will provide communities.
SSEN said such agreements with partners allowed it to plan work in a more effective and efficient way, completing upgrades, connections, and asset replacement at the same time, and reduce the impact on customers by working on the network as efficiently as possible.
The Scottish Government’s Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, said:
“Decarbonising Scotland’s economy depends heavily on significant investment in the upkeep and futureproofing of our electricity system, so the network can meet the demand from users now and in the future.
“I welcome this substantial investment from SSEN Distribution in the north of Scotland, which will not only bring benefits for our workforce, our supply chains, and our regional and national economies but also support our net zero targets.”
SSEN’s Director of Large Capital Delivery, Fraser Hood, says:
“In selecting these five contract partners after a fair, open, and competitive tendering process, we’ve secured the ability to deliver our massive programme of investment efficiently and effectively. This transformation will ensure increased resilience, flexibility, and capacity for our 800,000 customers in the north of Scotland.
“The way these partnerships have been drawn up will mean we can reduce supply chain risks and secure the specialist skills we need to deliver effectively for our customers and communities.”
Image courtesy of SSEN
