SSEN Transmission has asked Ofgem to confirm eligibility under the T3 Load Re-opener and provide pre-construction funding to advance three grid projects in Perthshire and the Highlands, which together could support more than 400 jobs across Scotland.

On 13 October 2026, the network company submitted proposals to the UK energy regulator to progress a trio of electricity infrastructure schemes designed to unlock investment and connect additional clean power and storage in the north of Scotland.

The Coupar Angus 2 132kV substation in Perth and Kinross would accommodate 171.6 MW of contracted generation and storage. In the Central Highlands, west of Dalwhinnie, the Earba pumped storage hydro connection is planned for 600 MW in Stage 1 and up to 1,800 MW in Stage 2. Between Laggan and Dalwhinnie, the Coire Mashie 400kV substation would provide the grid connection point for the 1,800 MW pumped storage hydro scheme. Note: 400kV denotes the substation's operating voltage, not its capacity in MW.

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Indicative employment and economic impacts from project development and construction include: Coupar Angus 2 supporting 184 UK jobs (including 14 local and 82 in Scotland) and generating an estimated Local GVA of £7m, Scotland GVA of £39m and GB/UK GVA of £91m; Earba supporting 340 UK jobs (including 37 local and 180 in Scotland) with Local GVA of £21m, Scotland GVA of £107m and GB/UK GVA of £220m; and Coire Mashie supporting 422 UK jobs (including 41 local and 207 in Scotland) with Local GVA of £24m, Scotland GVA of £125m and GB/UK GVA of £268m.

SSEN Transmission is seeking Ofgem's confirmation that the three schemes are eligible to proceed through the T3 Load Re-opener process; agreement on the appropriate regulatory assessment route; and approval of pre-construction funding to cover early-stage activities such as design, environmental assessment, land and planning, and stakeholder engagement.

The submissions mark an early step in the regulatory pathway. If approved, they would allow detailed development, design, environmental and planning work to continue ahead of future funding decisions.

Together, the projects are intended to help connect more renewable generation and storage, supporting skilled employment and delivering long-term value for consumers and businesses through more affordable, home-grown clean power. Full project details are available in the Public Project Summaries.

Capacity figures are drawn from SSEN Transmission's submissions. Jobs and economic value figures are based on the company's project economic benefit analysis and are indicative estimates for the development and construction phases.