New East Coast 275kV Substation

Virtual Consultation Room

If you cannot attend one of our public drop-in events in the Brechin area from 25 to 28 May 2026, you can still take part online through our virtual consultation room.

It includes the same consultation materials available at the in-person events and gives you the chance to share feedback with the project team on our proposals for the new East Coast 275kV substation project.

The consultation period closes on 09 July 2026.

Access Virtual Consultation Room

About the Project

The new East Coast 275kV substation project involves the construction of a new 275kV Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) substation in the Angus area. The new substation will be required to connect into the existing 275kV Kintore to Tealing overhead line (OHL).

A search area in proximity to Brechin/Bridge of Dun with a focus on locations within a 14km radius of Brechin and in close proximity to the existing Kintore to Tealing 275kV OHL has been defined and the three substation sites currently being assessed as part of the project include two located south of the A90 and one located north of the A90 to facilitate connection into the existing transmission network.

Other Associated Works

Sections of new 275kV double circuits infrastructure will need to be constructed to connect the new substation to the existing OHL infrastructure. The new substation will provide a new connection location for the new or upgraded Bridge of Dun substation which in turn will allow for approximately 82km of the East Coast 132kV OHL circuit to be removed which is nearing the end of its operational capabilities.

Why is the Project Required?

Investment in the East Coast electricity network is essential to make sure it remains safe, reliable and fit for the future.

We have a licence obligation to ensure that we can provide adequate transmission capacity to facilitate connections to customers in the North of Scotland who wish to connect to, and use, the transmission system to participate in the national wholesale electricity market.

As a licensed electricity transmission operator, we are also required to support the UK and Scottish Governments commitments to achieve net zero, and this project will enable us to connect infrastructure to support these national priorities.

What is a Substation?

An essential component in the UK’s energy network, substations connect sources of generation, such as wind farms and power stations. They connect overhead and underground cables and can also connect nearby utility systems. The purpose of a substation is to manage the electricity flowing within the network. This can include connecting and disconnecting certain circuits to direct the flow of energy, increasing or decreasing voltage (e.g. from 132kV up to 275kV or from 400kV down to 275kV), managing the frequency of the electricity, and increasing the efficiency and reliability of the power supply.

Substations are critical in maintaining an efficient and healthy energy network, as they monitor and report back to operators on statistics and events to provide live information on our network. This allows for the following functions:

• Fault monitoring and identification which allows for isolation to protect the network and allow repairs.
• Allow for redirection and disconnection of energy to allow for demand/maintenance.
• Provide data such as voltage, current and power flow to allow for efficient running and future predictions.

Community Engagement

Throughout the life of our projects, we aim to work positively with local communities and keep people informed about what we are doing. This is particularly important when we are developing a proposal and we want to understand what local people think about our plans.

We endeavour to take the time to discuss proposals with local community councils, encourage engagement from the wider community and listen to the feedback we receive.

We will do our best to answer any questions and address issues or concerns that are raised with us.

When our project progresses into construction, we will continue working closely with the local community to ensure that our work has as little impact on the lives of those living and working in the area and as many long term positive effects as possible.

How we’re embracing artificial intelligence (AI)
We intend to use AI to assist our experienced teams in the analysis of your feedback, so we can categorise key points raised more quickly. You can learn more about how we’re utilising AI on this dedicated web page.