SSEN Transmission has initiated a public consultation regarding the new Skye Reinforcement Local Community Benefit Fund, a £5.46 million initiative aimed at supporting regions hosting new energy infrastructure.

The funding is tied to the Skye Reinforcement Project, which involves replacing the existing overhead line between Fort Augustus and Skye and upgrading substations at Edinbane, Broadford, and Fort Augustus.

The local fund is dedicated to community council regions along the route, including Skye and Raasay, Glenelg and Arnisdale, Glengarry, and Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston. This allocation follows a tenfold increase in community benefit funding announced last October after successful representations to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). In addition to this local fund, a further £5.46 million will be available through the wider Transmission Regional Community Fund, which residents along the route are also eligible to apply for.

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The consultation, beginning next month, aims to define the area of benefit, establish local funding priorities, and determine the long-term structure of the fund. SSEN Transmission will host a series of in-person drop-in sessions throughout March to gather views directly from residents.

In-person consultation events:

• Broadford Village Hall: Tuesday 10 March, 3pm-7pm

• Kyleakin Community Hall: Wednesday 11 March, 3pm-7pm

• Fort Augustus Village Hall: Thursday 12 March, 3pm-7pm

• Shepherd's Way Hall, Portree: Tuesday 17 March, 3.30pm-7pm

• Dunvegan Community Hall: Wednesday 18 March, 3pm-7pm

• Glenelg Village Hall: Tuesday 24 March, 3pm-7pm

• Glengarry Community Hall: Wednesday 25 March, 3pm-7pm

Online sessions are also scheduled for Tuesday 31 March and Thursday 2 April, with an online survey open from 10 March to 10 April. Feedback from these events will be used to draft a formal fund proposal for review by community councils and development trusts, with final details expected to be published by summer 2026.

Dr Joanna Rodgers, Community Investment Manager at SSEN Transmission, said: "We're pleased to begin our consultation for the Skye Reinforcement Local Fund, and look forward to working with the communities along the route to shape the Fund. Each community along the Skye Reinforcement route has a unique identity, heritage and landscape, and it is essential that this fund supports what matters most to them. By listening directly to people who live and work in these communities, we can ensure this investment delivers meaningful, lasting benefits where they are needed most.

"We strongly encourage people to come along to any of our drop-in sessions next month, share their ideas, and play a key role in shaping a fund that reflects the ambitions of their communities for the future."