Kinardochy – Errochty Underground Cable

We have today published a new economic report setting out the significant economic benefits associated with our planned £29bn investment in new and upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure across the north of Scotland.

The report, titled ‘Re‑energising the North: Transforming Scotland’, provides an update on our previously outlined economic analysis on plans to invest billions in mission-critical grid infrastructure, providing further insight into the scale of economic opportunity associated with the investment programme.

The report reaffirms our programme as one of the largest private infrastructure investments in Scotland’s history, with around £29bn of planned investment across the north of Scotland in the next five years, and it details the extent of the economic opportunity across the region.

Using advanced economic modelling to analyse the impact of clean power infrastructure investment, the report’s findings conclude that our investment: 

• Will support up to 10,000 jobs in the north of Scotland, and 24,000 across Scotland; 
• When added to investment by other transmission operators and investment in generation will add around £60bn to UK economic output - with the Scottish economy up to 3% larger over the long term; 
• Will deliver long-term improvements in productivity, wages and economic resilience, with employees moving into higher-value roles and key sectors expanding permanently; and 
• Will create unique opportunities for Scottish suppliers, businesses and communities across multiple sectors, including forestry, peatland restoration, aggregates and concrete too. 

The findings highlight the importance of ensuring that the benefits of investment are felt locally, with thousands of skilled jobs, increased supply chain activity, and investment flowing into communities across the north of Scotland.

Read the full News and Views article to find out more.

Following the second pre application consultation feedback event that was hosted in May 2025 in Tummel Bridge we can confirm that we have submitted a planning application to Perth and Kinross Council for the access track, compound and junction works to support the Kinardochy to Errochty Underground Cable project

The proposed Kinardochy to Errochty Underground Cable project, located near Tummel Bridge, is a key element of the transmission operator’s proposed Beauly to Denny overhead line (OHL) upgrade, from 275kV to 400kV operation. The upgrade is intended to help deliver high voltage, clean renewable power for connection to homes and businesses across the UK – helping meet Scotland and the UK’s clean power and energy security ambitions. 

Should you wish to view the application in full and submit formal comments to the Council, it is available on the Perth and Kinross Council planning portal under reference 26/00501/FLM.

We would like to thank those who provided feedback as part of our pre-application consultation events, which have been key in helping us shape our proposals. We now look forward to working with Perth and Kinross Council and other key stakeholders as part of the consenting process.

We would like to thank all members of the local community and interested parties who took the time to attend the Kinardochy-Errochty underground cable public consultation event on 12 May 2025 where we presented our feedback and our proposals for temporary and permanent access tracks, temporary bellmouth entrances and temporary compounds to facilitate a new underground cable between Kinardochy substation and Errochty substation.  

We will be seeking final comments and feedback from members of the public, statutory consultees and other key stakeholders on our proposals until 26 May 2025. Submit your comments and feedback by emailing or writing to your Community Liaison Manager.  

If you were unable to attend the public event you can download the consultation booklet that was on display from the 'Documents' section of the website. 

We would like to thank all members of the local community and interested parties who took the time to attend the Kinardochy-Errochty underground cable public consultation event on 28 April 2025 where we presented our feedback and our proposals for temporary and permanent access tracks, temporary bellmouth entrances and temporary compounds to facilitate a new underground cable between Kinardochy substation and Errochty substation. 

We will be holding a further pre application public consultation event to ensure that all members of the public have had the opportunity to hear about the proposed underground cable, our responses to feedback received from the last event, meet the project team, ask questions and share further comments. 

Please note if you attended our event on the 28 April 2025, there are no further updates to the information presented. 

This event will take place on: 

Monday 12 May 2025 – Kynachan Hall , Tummel Bridge , Pitlochry , PH16 5NT – 4-7pm  

We will be seeking final comments and feedback from members of the public, statutory consultees and other key stakeholders on our proposals until 26 May 2025. Submit your comments and feedback by emailing or writing to your Community Liaison Manager.     

If you are unable to attend this public event you can download the consultation booklet that will be on display from the 'Documents' section of the website.  

We are pleased to be holding the second of our statutory Pre-Application Consultation events to present our proposals for temporary and permanent access tracks, temporary bellmouth entrances and temporary compounds to facilitate a new underground cable between Kinardochy substation and Errochty substation. Due to changes in our proposed development application and following further discussion with the local authority , we are now required to hold this secondary event which forms part of the Beauly-Denny 400kV upgrade project. 

During our public consultation feedback event you will be able to view further information about the proposed underground cable, our responses to feedback received from the last event, meet the project team, ask questions and share further comments. We would encourage members of the local community, and all interested parties to attend the event.   

The open-door drop-in face to face consultation will be held at the following location:  

Date: Monday 28 April 2025  
Time: 4pm – 7pm  
Venue: Kynachan Hall, Tummel Bridge, Pitlochry, PH16 5NT 

You can submit comments and feedback by emailing bdup@sse.com or writing to your Community Liaison Manager Nicki McLuskey at SSEN Transmission, 200 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3GH.  

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.

Following recent consultation with Perth and Kinross Council, it has been confirmed that the proposed access track infrastructure required for the Kinardochy to Errochty 132kV Underground Cable project would constitute a ‘Local’ level planning application, rather than a ‘Major’ planning application. This has resulted in a change in the planning requirement to hold formal pre-application public consultation events. 

As you may be aware, the project team held a consultation event in November 2024 in Tummel Bridge, which was the first of two formal events required for Major planning applications. Given the scale and nature of the works we have taken the decision to provide an update on the application in writing rather than stage a second event. We would like to assure you that this in no way detracts from the level of design and environmental assessment that will support the application, and that relevant feedback from the first event will be incorporated. 

We intend to submit our planning application in April 2025 for the access track works required to install the new underground cables (which we are able to do through our Permitted Development rights as a Statutory Undertaker). The latest design information that was shared in November 2025 can be found on the Kinardochy to Errochty 132kV Underground Cable project page on the SSEN Transmission website here. The information shared in November 2025 has not changed. 

Please note that you will be able to make formal representation to Perth and Kinross Council once the application is live on their planning portal.” 

We will continue to engage with community members and all interested stakeholders for the project. If you do have any questions or queries relating to the project, please do not hesitate to contact your Community Liaison Manager, Nicola Mcluskey. 

We would like to thank all members of the local community and interested parties who took the time to attend the Kinardochy-Errochty Underground Cable public consultation event on 26th November 2024 where we presented our proposals for the project.  

We will be seeking comments and feedback from members of the public, statutory consultees and other key stakeholders regarding our proposals until 14 January 2025. Submit your comments and feedback via the feedback form linked on the main webpage or by emailing or writing to your Community Liaison Manager.  

If you were unable to attend the public event you can download the consultation booklet that was on display from the Project Documents section of the website.  

Please let us know if you require information in an adapted format such as paper copy, large print or braille and we will work with you to accommodate your preferences. We are happy to accommodate all reasonable requests for adapted communications. 

We are hosting a statutory Pre-Application Consultation event to gain views and feedback on our proposals for the Kinardochy – Errochty Underground Cable. The pre-application process is a key first step in the Town and Country Planning process for National planning applications.

We would encourage members of the local community and all interested parties to attend the event.

The open-door drop-in face to face consultation will be held at the following location:

Tuesday 26 November 2024 – 2:00pm - 7:30pm – Kynachan Hall, Tummel Bridge, Pitlochry PH16 5NT