SSEN Transmission opens £12M community funding push tied to £29B grid upgrade
What's the deal? SSEN TransmissionDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched a new Strategic Investment Fund, committing at least £12m to communities across the north of Scotland over the next two years. It makes up to £10m available for large-scale projects that tackle fuel poverty and improve skills and employability.
How does it work? An initial £5m round opens on September 17, targeting multi-partner projects with grants between £1m and £5m. A second £5m round is expected in 2027, giving organisations time to build long-term proposals.
The Strategic Investment Fund sits alongside the company's Regional Community Benefit Fund, which has already awarded £4m. Together, SSEN Transmission says, the two represent the largest community funding package yet from an electricity transmission network operator.
What else? The Regional Community Benefit Fund's third round opened on September 8, with £2m available and applications open until November 24. Grants run from £40,000 to £500,000 for projects within SSEN's licence area — spanning Argyll and Tayside, the North East, the Highlands, Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles.
Those projects must address skills and employability, heritage and culture, or fuel poverty. Awards are expected in spring 2027.
Why now? In March 2025, the UK Government introduced guidance setting funding levels for areas near new or upgraded transmission infrastructure. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the aim is to ensure "communities benefit from hosting vital transmission infrastructure."
What's the endgame? The programmes form part of an anticipated £100m-plus in community benefit funding linked to SSEN Transmission's £29bn grid upgrade, which is aimed at bolstering energy security and supporting economic growth.
The signal: As Britain races to expand its grid for the energy transition, network operators are under growing pressure to share the gains with the communities that host their infrastructure. SSEN's package is an early test of how much goodwill that money can buy — and a template rivals may soon follow.
Read more: buildscotland.co.uk
Image credit: ajari
