SSEN Transmission has selected the preferred bidder to provide key elements for its £ 10 billion network investment plan for 2030. These projects will bring significant upgrades to transmission networks across the UK.

The reconstruction will support the renewable energy and climate change goals of the UK and Scottish governments by 2030. This includes offshore wind power targets of 50GW and 11GW, respectively.

The preferred bidders selected after the competitive procurement process include Balfour Beatty, Burns&McDonnell, IQA, J Murphy&Sons, Linxon, Morrison Energy Services, NKT, Omicrom Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Siemens Energy BAM, and Wood Power Solutions.

Each was selected based on their own expertise, including overhead lines, underground cables, and substations required for the reconstruction of the transmission network in northern Scotland from 2023 to 2030. The upgraded transmission infrastructure will help ensure the country's future energy independence and reduce dependence on price sensitive and volatile wholesale energy markets by connecting and transporting locally produced low-carbon electricity.

Rob McDonald, Managing Director of SSEN Transmission, stated that our 2030 network reconstruction plan will play a significant role in achieving the net zero targets for Scotland and the UK, and selecting this group of preferred bidders for key elements of reconstruction work is a major step towards achieving this goal. Due to our goal of completing contract negotiations in the coming weeks and months, we look forward to working with each selected contractor to deliver our 'Road to 2030' project.

The main projects included in the path to 2030 include the 2GW underwater high-voltage DC link between Peterhead and England. These will be developed through a joint venture with State Grid Transmission.

Two submarine high-voltage direct current transmission lines are also planned, one located between Spittal and Peterhead in Caithness with a capacity of 2GW, and the other located in Arnish in the western archipelago and northern Scotland with a capacity of 1.8GW. Peter Head's new HVDC switching station will reduce the number of converter stations required for future HVDC links, reducing costs and environmental impacts.Editor/XingWentao