Christianna Logan of SSEN Transmission explains how a £29bn investment in the north of Scotland’s electricity grid will strengthen energy security, support communities and drive long-term economic growth.

SSEN Transmission’s Christianna Logan explains how their £29bn investment programme in the electricity grid unlocks benefits for local communities and the country.

If current events in the world and global shocks to the system have taught us anything, it’s the urgency of the need to build domestic energy security through homegrown clean power. Instead of our current exposure to the volatility and spiking costs of imported gas, building this national resilience with our own renewable power is the clear path to lower energy bills for households and businesses.

The positive news is this work is well underway and the Highlands and Islands are at the heart of this process – with some of the best renewable resources in the UK and Europe. Unlocking that opportunity depends on a modern electricity transmission network capable of moving clean power from where it’s created to where it’s needed.

For SSEN Transmission, this means investing around £29bn to grow the grid across our north of Scotland network area – one of the biggest infrastructure investment programmes the region has ever seen.

Local mission

There is a strong societal dimension to our work. We all benefit from clean power and energy security leading to greater affordability – and the communities where the construction takes place rightly stand to gain from the additional economic and social benefits that accompany the investment. We are determined to maximise these local gains.

Last November, SSEN Transmission became the first signatory of the Highland Social Value Charter, marking a significant milestone in delivering long-term socio-economic benefits for communities across the Highlands. The range of pledges made by the business arising from our grid upgrades include:

· £1.8bn of contracts for local businesses

· more than £200m spending on roads and bridges

· 10% net gain in biodiversity and no net loss of woodland on all new projects

These represent specific commitments, but our overall contribution goes further. Later this month, in an industry first exercise, SSEN Transmission will publish our first economic report – Re-energising the North, Transforming Scotland – which details the projected boost in jobs and wealth from investing in an electricity grid fit for the challenges of our times.

The report demonstrates that, as well as capitalising on the world-class reputation of the Highlands and Islands for renewable energy generation, SSEN Transmission’s investments bring with them many additional benefits for local people and their communities. These include:

· Offsetting outward migration of the working age population

· High-earning, remote and flexible working opportunities

· Increased availability and affordability of good quality housing

· Supply chain and job opportunities for local businesses and people from forestry, aggregates, concrete, and peatland restoration work.

Within its detailed analysis, the report finds that our projects support up to 4,000 jobs across the Highlands and Islands, and enable the development of up to 700 homes through our innovative strategy to leave a permanent housing legacy from construction projects, helping to relieve local housing pressures.

We are directly employing people locally on salaries that are a fifth higher than the average for the area – all of which will help keep young people in the region. In addition, tens of millions of pounds in community benefit funding will be generated by our projects, through a series of local funds and a wider regional fund.

Christianna Logan

Looking ahead, the impact of our investment will extend far beyond the construction phase.

For the Highlands and Islands, this is a generational opportunity – one that combines economic growth with the transition to a cleaner, more secure, more affordable energy system.

Upgrading the transmission network is not without its challenges, but it is essential to our energy security and affordability.

Appetite for change

We need to ensure that the public are with us on this journey, and the evidence is that a strong majority of people across the north of Scotland believe that the switch to renewables is the right thing to do. Indeed, a survey last autumn showed that around half think that renewable energy projects aren’t being delivered quickly enough, with just 15% believing they are.

This suggests a strong appetite to realise the many benefits that come with this investment as soon as possible, and the grid upgrades are essential to unlocking that.

For the Highlands and Islands, the prize is clear: a stronger regional economy, underpinned by the opportunities of a secure, clean power future.

We are proud sponsors of The Scotsman Highlands & Islands Green Energy Conference 2026. Visit www.ssen-transmission.co.uk to find out more.