Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) Transmission announced on Tuesday that it plans to invest GBP10bn (USD12.5bn) in Scotland’s networks, as reported by Reuters on June 12. This investment will enable the connection of approximately 11 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind projects. As part of their “Pathway to 2030 Programme,” SSEN Transmission will allocate funds for the development of new onshore and sub-sea transmission links. These investments are part of a broader effort to upgrade the electricity transmission network across the entire United Kingdom in order to meet climate change and energy security goals.

By enhancing grid capacity, SSEN Transmission aims to facilitate the connection of the initial phase of projects from the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round, which collectively possess a capacity of up to 11 GW. This capacity is sufficient to power over 10 million homes, according to the company. The projects encompass various initiatives, including two 2-GW high voltage direct current links that will link Peterhead in Scotland to England, as well as two subsea links in Scottish waters and upgrades to onshore cable links. Moreover, this investment program is expected to create employment opportunities for more than 9,000 individuals throughout Scotland. SSEN Transmission is responsible for the ownership, operation, and development of the high voltage electricity transmission system in the northern regions of Scotland and remote islands.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/uks-ssen-invest-10-billion-pounds-electricity-networks-2023-06-12/