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SSEN Transmission, a 75% owned subsidiary of SSE plc, has announced plans to invest a minimum of £22 billion in grid infrastructure from April 2026 to March 2031. This landmark initiative will enhance the UK's energy resilience, support climate goals, and create thousands of new jobs nationwide.
The investment forms part of SSEN Transmission’s business plan, submitted to Ofgem under the Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs (RIIO) model. The funding is intended to drive progress towards the UK government’s Clean Power by 2030 ambition while delivering a critical pathway to achieving net zero emissions.
In addition to the base plan, SSEN Transmission has proposed a further £9.4 billion in potential Uncertainty Mechanism expenditures, which could elevate the total investment to £31.7 billion over five years.
Independent analysis by consultancy BiGGAR Economics forecasts significant economic and employment benefits if the entire £31.7 billion investment is realized. Key highlights include:
Job Creation: Up to 37,000 jobs are supported across the UK, with 17,500 based in Scotland.
Economic Boost: A £15 billion contribution to the UK economy, including £7 billion for Scotland.
This transformative initiative underscores SSEN Transmission’s commitment to advancing the UK’s energy transition, fortifying energy security, and delivering widespread economic benefits.
SSE plc's chief executive Alistair Phillips Davies said: "We're setting out today the extent of our ambition and commitment; it is now crucial that Ofgem backs that ambition with an investable and financeable framework, setting an appropriate cost of equity that recognises the unprecedented levels of investment required to decarbonise the economy and deliver a clean power system."
Managing director of SSEN Transmission Rob McDonald said: "Our RIIO-T3 Business Plan sets out an ambitious, deliverable blueprint to unlock the unprecedented levels of investment required to deliver UK and Scottish net zero and energy security targets, including the Clean Power by 2030 mission.
"In what is one of the largest investment programmes of all time in Scotland, this plan will also support tens thousands of jobs across the country, turbo-charging the economy and delivering a transformational and lasting legacy for communities, the economy and nature.
"We now look forward to working constructively with Ofgem, government, and wider stakeholders to ensure the future regulatory framework secures the investment required to support the nation’s ambitious goals and delivers the vast economic opportunities the clean transition presents."
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