Rothienorman substation team lend a hand to the local community

When SSEN Transmission and their delivery partners Siemens-Bam embark on building a major project such as a substation, they put a focus on putting the community at the heart of everything they do. That is something that the team building the new substation at Rothienorman has definitely taken to heart over the last 2 years.

The project team has been working closely with the local community not just to keep them updated with progress on the project but to make sure they give something back to the local area. In fact, they have given back to 11 charities and community groups, helping out with food donations to the local to food back, donations to the local Brownies and Scout troop, local toddler group and even taking the time to drop by the Rothienorman School to give a road safety talk.  

Steven Ingleston, Siemens-Bam Foreman, tells us a little more about how the work with the local community came about: “I have been living locally since the project started and during that time, I have gotten to know the people living in the area well. I soon got speaking to the Rothienorman Community Association and they were able to put the project team in contact with local groups who were looking for support.

“It has been a team effort, with staff across the site staff being involved. We have focused on some of the smaller community groups that might not receive donations but needed support, especially with the impact of the pandemic.”

SSEN Transmission Project Manager Craig Taylor said: “As guests here in Aberdeenshire, it’s really important that we work closely with the community and offer support where we can. Steven has done a fantastic job rallying the team to fundraise and make donations to a variety of different projects and community groups. It's been great seeing the whole team pull together over the last 2 years and I am really proud to be part of the team."

Most recently the substation team arranged the installation of a new defibrillator and security box in the village. The provision of this new unit could help to make all the difference if somebody takes ill and requires medical assistance. The British Heart Foundation states that when someone goes into cardiac arrest, every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chance of survival by 10%, so it is hoped by having this vital equipment in a central location in the community will hopefully give local residents peace of mind and has the potential to save lives.

As the project team comes to the end of the build over the next couple of weeks, they site their sights on energising the substation so it can play its role in facilitating the connection of new renewable generation to the grid.

To find out more about the project visit:ssen-transmission.co.uk/projects/rothienorman-substation/