SSEN Transmission has secured over £6.9 million of innovation funding through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), an Ofgem programme delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. The backing will support four initiatives focused on improving overhead line ratings, advancing HVDC technologies, and enhancing asset management.

The SIF programme forms part of Ofgem's price control framework and is designed to accelerate decarbonisation and enable more efficient integration of renewable energy into the UK network.

Since SIF launched in 2021, SSEN Transmission has been awarded £17.7 million, helping deliver projects that generate new industry insights and develop technologies vital to the UK's energy transition.

Innovation under SIF progresses through three competitive stages — Discovery, Alpha and Beta — moving concepts from feasibility to full solution development and demonstration.

The latest awards include:

- £5.8 million – REVISE (Beta phase): Working with National Grid Electricity Transmission, SP Energy Networks, the National Energy System Operator, the Met Office, the University of Strathclyde and Energyline, REVISE will implement a more accurate, future‑ready method for calculating overhead line ratings. Using high‑resolution weather data and advanced system‑modelling, it aims to unlock network capacity, lower operating costs that can be passed back to consumers, and inform smarter investment.

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- £455,450 – ODIN (Alpha phase): In partnership with robotics specialist Ross Robotics, ODIN will expand the use of autonomous inspection and AI‑driven analytics at high‑voltage converter stations. By harnessing live data from autonomous HVDC inspection robots, the project will develop targeted condition‑based maintenance tools to minimise outages, extend asset life and improve overall network resilience.

- £449,961 – HVDC Wind Connect (Alpha phase): Delivered with WindGrid, the Carbon Trust and the National HVDC Centre, this project will advance offshore wind integration by developing and demonstrating new HVDC system approaches. It will assess innovations in system control and protection, modular offshore platform design and dynamic cable rating to simplify and reduce the costs of offshore wind connections.

- £147,254 – SPRINT (Discovery phase): In collaboration with SuperGrid Institute and the National HVDC Centre, SPRINT will evaluate the feasibility and benefits of integrating Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) into HVDC networks, with the potential to protect high‑value assets from damaging fault currents and enhance stability across increasingly complex renewable‑led systems.

Alan Ritchie, Senior Manager of Innovation at SSEN Transmission said: "Securing over £6.9 million through the latest SIF round is a significant vote of confidence in the innovative work happening across our business.

"These projects reflect the ambition and collaboration needed to build a smarter, more resilient electricity network. By advancing new approaches in digital inspection, HVDC technologies and system planning, we're not only unlocking capacity today – we're laying the foundations for a cleaner, more secure energy system for decades to come."