SSEN Transmission has committed to invest £22bn in its infrastructure, according to its new business plan.
Proposals for the period covering April 2026-March 2031, known as RIIO-T3 price control, will see investment leading to the north of Scotland transmission network having the capability to meet 20 per cent of Britain’s demand for clean power.
This will involve a baseline total expenditure of around £6bn plus £16bn of further strategic investments. A further £9.4bn could also be invested in the period, depending on planning approvals and government policy decisions, taking the total to £31.7bn.
A statement from the client, which is a subsidiary of SSE plc, said the investments would be “critical enablers of UK and Scottish government climate change and energy security targets, delivering a pathway to net-zero emissions and helping underpin the UK government’s Clean Power by 2030 ambition”.
“It represents one of the largest ever private investment programmes in Scotland and will act as a major driver of jobs and economic growth across the country,” the client added.
If the total £31.7bn were used, the company said it could support 37,000 jobs across the UK, and help support 1,000 new homes in the north of Scotland.
SSEN Transmission managing director Rob McDonald said: “Our RIIO-T3 business plan sets out an ambitious, deliverable blueprint, to unlock the unprecedented levels of investment required to deliver UK and Scottish net-zero and energy security targets.
“In what is one of the largest investment programmes of all time in Scotland, this plan will also support tens of thousands of jobs across the country, turbo-charging the economy and delivering a transformational and lasting legacy for communities, the economy and nature.”
The business plan is subject to approval from energy regulator Ofgem, which is set to launch a consultation on it next week.
Final determination of the plan is expected in December 2025.
SSEN Transmission’s current projects include a £3.5bn “electricity superhighway” called Eastern Green Link 2, which will see 436km of undersea cable laid between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire. It was approved by Ofgem in August, with Bam and Hitachi Energy set to deliver converter stations at either end of the scheme.
