Forget Nessie, there’s soon to be a new clean energy beast near the shores of the famous Loch.
SSEN Transmission’s plan to expand the Fort Augustus substation at Auchterawe has been approved by the Highland Council’s South Planning Committee, marking a crucial step in upgrading Scotland’s electricity grid.
The expansion will increase the capacity of one of the existing overhead circuits from 275kV to 400kV.
It forms a key part of SSEN Transmission’s £20bn Pathway to 2030 investment programme, designed to strengthen the UK’s energy security and support the transition to clean power.
Other substations in the project include new sites at Beauly, Fasnakyle and Braco.
These developments are being fast-tracked through Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework.
The Fort Augustus approval is a major milestone in modernising Scotland’s energy infrastructure, ensuring it can handle growing renewable power demands.
The upgrades are expected to fuel economic growth, creating jobs and delivering long-term benefits to local communities.
Rob McDonald, managing director of SSEN Transmission said: “These investments will also be a major driver of jobs and economic growth locally and across the north of Scotland, bringing substantial legacy opportunities for communities and businesses.”
SSEN Transmission will now review the council’s conditions and work closely with local communities as it moves into the project’s development phase.
