Nearly 300,000 people so far have been asked for their views – the largest such consultation ever undertaken – as SSEN Transmission focuses on transforming the grid across Scotland for the 21st century. Here are some of the findings so far and what’s next.
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Throughout May and June, SSEN Transmission conducted its third series of public engagement events, inviting members of the public to share their views on the next phase of development for four critical national transmission infrastructure schemes across the north of Scotland.
Christianna Logan, director of customers and stakeholders at SSEN Transmission, said:
“Key to our approach is balancing the clear need for these projects to deliver energy security and net zero with feedback from local communities, alongside technical and environmental constraints.
“Engaging meaningfully with our communities and listening to feedback has worked and continues to work – and following consultation that took place earlier this year on our Kintore-Tealing 400kV project for example, we are now taking forward overhead line alignments proposed by community representatives and landowners to the next round of consultation which is set to take place in September and October.”
A public engagement survey reaching 300,000 people
So far, around 10,000 people have attended over 220 SSEN Transmission-hosted public engagement events to express their opinions on the various proposed onshore 400kV electricity transmission projects that form part of the company’s £20bn ‘Pathway to 2030’ investment programme. The onshore projects comprise new overhead lines, upgrades to existing lines, and new substations and converter stations too.
Nearly 300,000 people living within 10 kilometres of the proposed projects have been directly invited to attend the company’s events, with more than 12,000 written responses received and analysed so far.
Balancing the need for energy security and net zero with community feedback
A key aspect of SSEN Transmission’s approach is balancing the need for energy security and achieving net zero targets with feedback from local communities, alongside technical and environmental constraints.
Christianna continued: “Balancing the clear need for these projects with local feedback is not an easy task, but by listening closely to communities we have already made significant changes to project plans, including moving substation locations and altering overhead line routes.”
The changes that have been made and continue to be considered demonstrate that the company is addressing community concerns through a genuine consultation process – one of the biggest that Scotland has ever seen – that encourages constructive dialogue.
And the company is continuing to listen to feedback, with community engagement teams preparing to embark upon another round of face-to-face consultation events on the Kintore to Tealing 400kV overhead line project in September and October.
Extensive engagement continues with councillors, community councils, MSPs and MPs too, as the company prepares planning applications for submission later this year and early in 2025.
As a stakeholder-led business, the views shared as part of the ongoing consultation process are crucial in shaping the development of SSEN Transmission’s projects.
SSEN Transmission: Secure power for generations
Interested in learning more about how SSEN Transmission are transforming the grid to deliver secure power for generations to come? Check out the following podcast by Energy Voice in partnership with SSEN Transmission, featuring an interview with their Director of Customers and Stakeholders, Christianna Logan, and Julian Leslie from the National Grid Energy System Operator: Powering Change with SSE – Episode 1- Transforming the grid with SSEN Transmission
The episode discusses the possibilities and challenges that come with delivering new grid infrastructure in the 21st century and why it is necessary for all our futures.
This podcast is part of the Powering Change: Working together with Scotland’s clean energy champion series, where Energy Voice and the SSE Group discuss ways in which the company is helping the country to deliver energy security and net zero.
Listen to the first episode of the Powering Change with SSE podcast series.
Conversation