East Coast 400kV Upgrade

Following the closure of the Community Benefit Fund for the East Coast 400kV OHL Upgrade project on 31 January 2025 we are pleased to announce that the total fund value has been awarded.The fund was aimed specifically at communities who are situated close to the infrastructure works and was developed in partnership with key people within these communities, to support local projects which are focused on improving health and wellbeing.    

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply to the fund. You can find out more about the successful projects by going to our dedicated webpage at Our East Coast Fund - SSEN Transmission. 

As our Principal Contractor Balfour Beatty continues access works to the towers that are being upgraded to 400kV in the Auchenblae area there is a requirement for wiring upgrades at 4 of our towers. Following the recent written communication issued to residents Balfour Beatty have notified us this week of a change to the previously scheduled road closures dates. Details of the closure including the updated dates are detailed below. 
 

In the interest of public safety, a road closure has been granted by Aberdeenshire Council affecting the U75k Burnhead North of Glenbervie to C1k North of Goosecruives, Drumlithie, Aberdeenshire, AB39 3YD and the C1k U147k At Mains of Glenfarquhar to Glenfarquhar Road, Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire, AB30 1UJ.  

Monday 10 – Friday 21 and Monday 24 – Friday 28 March 2025   

Traffic management signage will be in place from Monday 10 March 2025 from 7.30am. 

Please note the above dates are subject to further change or extension. 
 
Pedestrian access and vehicular access to affected properties will be maintained during the closure. If you experience any difficulties with access, please contact the Coneworx Traffic Management helpline on 01698 862 888, or the Balfour Beatty helpline on 0800 121 4444. 

We are committed to supporting the communities in the north of Scotland where we operate, both now and in the future. As part of our ongoing efforts to make a difference and have a positive impact on local communities, we are proud to offer volunteering days to local groups and charities, particularly in the areas that host our electricity infrastructure or where our proposed projects are located. 

This month, we’re excited to announce the launch of our new Volunteering Webpage, designed to make it easier for local communities to request volunteering support from us. To request our help, simply complete the ‘Volunteering Nomination Form’ linked at the bottom of our new webpage. Please note, as our team works on a voluntary basis, it may take us some time to coordinate our people and match them with opportunities. We kindly ask for your patience as we work to keep up with volunteering demand.

Thank you for considering SSEN Transmission as a partner in your community efforts. Together, we can leave a positive, lasting legacy and help transform communities across the north of Scotland.

As our teams start to prepare the site for closing over the festive period, we wanted to confirm that all construction work on the East Coast 400kV Upgrade Project will pause for the festive period from 20 December 2024 to 6 January 2025. The Edzell site will be closed for all construction workers during this period, but security will remain in place 7 days a week and 24 hours per day.

We are pleased to announce the Community Benefit Fund for the East Coast 400kV OHL Upgrade project has now launched. The fund is aimed specifically at communities who are situated close to the infrastructure works, and has been developed in partnership with key people within these communities, to support local projects which are focused on improving health and wellbeing.  

The fund has a total lifetime value of £252,000, and you can apply for funding up to £5,000 per local project. The deadline for applications is Friday 31 January 2025 at midday.  

For full details of the fund and the link to apply, please see the dedicated webpage below. 

Find out more about the Community Benefit Fund

Local wildlife enthusiasts and staff at SSEN Transmission’s nearby Alyth substation are delighted to welcome home two of Alyth’s most famous feathered friends to a purpose-built nesting platform for the tenth year in a row. 

The nesting platform was created in 2014 as an alternative home for the ospreys ahead of the start of a programme of upgrade and reinforcement work to the transmission East Coast network, after the birds were spotted nesting at the top of one of SSEN Transmission’s 48-metre-high electricity towers which was scheduled for maintenance as part of the project. 

This is one of many initiatives that SSEN Transmission teams working on the Alyth substation, which was recently energised in January this year, created to help protect and enhance the environment in which they operate.  Teams developed various ecological improvements around the site to encourage native species of flora and fauna around the perimeter of the substation compound, contributing to a positive net gain in biodiversity.  

Funds for the webcam are provided by the East Coast 400kV OHL Upgrade project team. Read the full article on SSEN Transmission News & Views. 

As our Principal Contractor continues works on the East Coast 400kV OHL upgrade project, there is a requirement for localised lane closures on roads and/or full road closures along the OHL, in both Angus and Aberdeenshire council areas.

As these works are confirmed, traffic management maps detailing the closures will be made available from the project documentation section of this webpage. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause the local community and road users and thank you for your patience while access works are executed.