Britain’s energy regulator, Ofgem, has approved early funding for a further series of electricity transmission projects in Scotland, bringing the total number of projects supported under its fast-track grid programme to 26.
The funding allows transmission operators to begin procuring equipment such as heavy-duty cabling and substation components.
Industry participants have faced supply chain constraints and increased global demand for these items, prompting efforts to secure materials early to help avoid project delays.
The projects form part of Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) initiative, which was launched in 2022 to expedite construction and upgrading of key electricity infrastructure.
Upgrades include the construction of a new transmission line between Denny and Wishaw, designed to carry renewable electricity to approximately one million homes.
The Tealing to Kincardine corridor will also see increased capacity to support new high-capacity power links.
Ofgem’s funding also covers early development work on eight additional projects, enabling transmission operators to carry out initial land acquisitions, and design and survey work alongside the purchasing of critical materials.
The agency stated that these measures aim to help large-scale grid projects avoid procurement hold-ups currently affecting other countries. They are also intended to maintain progress on expanding the grid in line with the government’s targets for clean electricity generation and reduced import reliance.
The expanded grid capacity is expected to help lower costs associated with constraints in the electricity network, where wind farms are sometimes compensated for not generating due to insufficient capacity to transmit power.
Ofgem Major Projects director Beatrice Filkin said: “The last few years have shown how quickly global events can result in energy price shocks which push up bills for British consumers.
“By unlocking early funding for these projects, we aim to accelerate their delivery. This is crucial for strengthening Britain’s energy security and cutting constraint costs and exposure to volatile international gas prices by providing more grid capacity.”
The early funding is intended to speed up construction and limit the risk of delays, with projects expected to start providing benefits to consumers by 2030, subject to regulatory and planning approvals.
