Engineering and infrastructure firm Murphy has officially opened its new ASTI Hub North office in William Smith House, Thurso, creating up to 50 new skilled jobs in the local area.

The new base marks a strategic expansion into Caithness and will support the delivery of major electricity infrastructure projects for SSEN Transmission under Ofgem's Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) Framework.

The projects are part of the huge 'Pathway to 2030' programme, which will see approximately £20 billion spent on new and upgraded infrastructure across the north of Scotland to help meet the UK's energy security and clean power targets.

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The Thurso office, which will serve as a base for project teams and support services, is specifically linked to the proposed Spittal – Loch Buidhe – Beauly 400kV overhead line project, the Banniskirk Hub (substation and HVDC converter station) and the Carnaig 400kV substation.

Liam Corr, Energy Managing Director at Murphy, said the new hub, alongside ASTI Hub South in Alness, would form a "strategic backbone for project delivery" and lay the foundation for a "significantly expanded workforce". He confirmed that the Thurso hub itself is creating up to 50 new skilled roles, building on the 80 people already employed at the Alness base.

Kevin Smith, Programme Director for Onshore at SSEN Transmission, welcomed the move, stating the investment is a "perfect illustration of how the country’s transition to a clean power future... is creating skilled jobs in communities across the north of Scotland."