A major upgrade to the electricity transmission line between Fort Augustus and Skye has received planning approval from the Scottish Government, enabling the replacement of aging infrastructure and allowing for increased integration of renewable energy in the region.
The approval of SSEN Transmission’s Section 37 consent application marks a key milestone for the Skye Reinforcement Project, which aims to replace the existing single-circuit overhead line that is nearing the end of its operational life.
SSEN Transmission said the project is vital to maintaining network reliability and ensuring security of supply for communities on Skye, along the route of the transmission line, and in the Western Isles, which currently depend on two subsea distribution cables from north Skye.
“The Skye Reinforcement project is crucial to maintaining local network reliability and will play an important role in helping the UK achieve its energy security and clean power ambitions,” said Rob McDonald, Managing Director of SSEN Transmission. “This project and our wider investment programme will also be a major driver of jobs and economic growth locally and across the north of Scotland.”
The existing line is currently operating at capacity, limiting the connection of new renewable energy projects. The upgraded infrastructure will allow for increased grid capacity, supporting future clean energy developments in the region.
The project forms part of SSEN Transmission’s broader £20 billion ‘Pathway to 2030’ programme to reinforce and expand Scotland’s transmission network in support of net-zero targets.
Submitted in September 2022, the application benefited from new guidance issued in February, which set a 52-week determination period for strategic transmission projects. SSEN welcomed the policy, saying it could help avoid delays in delivering key infrastructure.
“As we now move to the delivery phase of the project, we are committed to working constructively with local communities and businesses to minimise and mitigate construction impacts,” McDonald said, “alongside maximising the economic, infrastructure and job opportunities this investment will bring.
