SSEN Transmission has announced the first round of funding awards from its community benefit fund, with £2 million allocated to a range of projects across the north of Scotland.

The funding, which comes from the company's £10 million initial fund, will support projects aligned with three key themes:

• People: Focusing on skills development, training, and employability.

• Place: Emphasising community and culture, including the preservation of heritage and the promotion of local traditions.

• Fuel Poverty: Seeking strategic ways to alleviate fuel poverty across the north of Scotland.

"We're delighted to announce the launch of our community fund in September, with an initial regional pot of £2m of funding available from current projects to get the ball rolling," said Christianna Logan, Director of Customers and Stakeholders at SSEN Transmission. "This is just the start as our 'Pathway to 2030' investment programme is a £20bn investment in new electricity transmission infrastructure, and we anticipate the associated overall value of our community benefit fund between now and 2030 to exceed £100m based on indications from the UK Government on the anticipated “That will be significant and transformational impact our fund can “Recruiting the right person to Chair the fund is a particularly important next step in setting this all up for success, and with applications open until 24 May, we're looking forward to making an appointment soon." Visit our Community Benefit Fund page to find out more."

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Successful projects include:

• Inverness College UHI: Funding for a state-of-the-art Sustainable Construction Centre.

• North East Scotland College: Investment in essential equipment for Aberdeen's Energy Transition Skills Hub.

• Growing2gether: Supporting a programme for vulnerable young people to enhance mental health and build life skills.

• Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust: Funding for the construction of a longhouse-style heritage centre.

"Today is great news for these fantastic projects, which will help to strengthen communities across the north of Scotland," said Peter Peacock, Independent Chair of the fund. "The projects we have been able to fund won through against stiff competition and are all designed to make a real difference to people, places, and cultural life in the north."

SSEN Transmission anticipates that its £20 billion investment programme, which aims to upgrade the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland, will generate over £100 million in community benefit funding.