Ofgem has granted early construction funding for several major transmission projects in the United Kingdom, including eight Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission schemes and Sealink, a proposed National Grid project linking Suffolk and Kent.
The Scottish projects comprise six onshore and two offshore transmission links. The funding is part of Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework, designed to streamline investment in infrastructure that supports the government’s clean energy targets, including the connection of 43–50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
Beatrice Filkin, Ofgem Director of Major Projects, said: “Today’s decision means that we’ll be able to power more homes with homegrown clean power faster. Releasing early investment to suitable projects equips British Transmission Operators (TOs) to compete globally, avoid delays caused by supply chain constraints and secure the sought-after materials and components to boost our energy security and power our homes and economy.”
Filkin emphasized that the funding does not constitute project approval. “It’s important to underline that we are not handing projects blank cheques nor greenlighting the projects themselves – these are rightly decisions for the relevant planning authorities,” she said.
The projects approved for early construction funding include: the Beauly to Loch Buidhe 400kV Reinforcement, Loch Buidhe to Spittal 400kV Reinforcement, Beauly to Blackhillock 400kV Double Circuit, Blackhillock to Peterhead 400kV Double Circuit, the Beauly to Denny 275kV Circuit upgrade to 400kV, and the East Coast Onshore 400kV Phase 2 reinforcement.
The two offshore links to receive early funding are the Spittal to Peterhead 2GW HVDC subsea connection and the Arnish to Beauly (Western Isles) HVDC link.
