Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has visited the PNDC in Cumbernauld to mark the 10 anniversary of the system, as the Scottish Government published its new draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan for consultation.

The visit featured an exhibition and discussions with partners and beneficiaries, both past and present, including SP Energy Networks.

The PNDC (formerly the Power Networks Demonstration Centre) was established in 2013 as a whole energy systems research, test and demonstration facility. The PNDC enables the development and deployment of novel energy and transport technologies and has been supported through government funding as well as collaborations with academic and business partners.

Scott Mathieson, NP&R Director, Iain Divers, Head of Network Planning & Development and Stephanie Anderson, Head of Regulation, met with the First Minister at the event and highlighted how the PNDC had helped to test key innovations, such as a Smart Transformer that aims to maximise the capacity of our existing network assets. Such innovations are critical to achieving the Scottish Government's ambitious Net Zero plans.

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Commenting on the Energy Strategy ahead of her visit to the PNDC, the First Minister had said: "The imperative is clear. In this decade we must set Scotland on the path to an energy system that meets the challenge of becoming a net zero nation by 2045, that supplies safe, secure and affordable energy for all and that generates economic opportunity through a just transition."

"The current energy crisis has demonstrated how vulnerable our energy system is to international price shocks, while laying bare the need for structural reform to ensure affordability for consumers."

In response to the on the launch of the new draft strategy, Scott Mathieson commented: "The First Minister's comments reiterate once again the important work we are doing at SP Energy Networks to lead the country's transition to Net Zero. We welcome the launch of the Scottish Government's draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, support its ambitions, and commend the integrated approach to Energy and a Just Transition given the important economic impacts of the energy transition.  We stand ready to invest over £8billion in our networks within the next decade to help achieve the targets set out.

On the landmark anniversary for the PNDC, he added: "The PNDC has been an integral part of developing and testing key network innovations, and it's a wonderful landmark to have now reached its 10-year anniversary.  It will no doubt continue to play a role in the improvement and modernisation of our networks and so it's absolutely fitting the First Minister chose to visit on the same day the Scottish Government's new draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan were published."