Nick Winser has spoken, it’s now time for Government to act

A blog by Rob McDonald, SSEN Transmission Managing Director. 

Last week the UK Government’s independent Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser, published a series of recommendations on how to accelerate the deployment of strategic electricity transmission infrastructure in Great Britain.  This report is a critical follow up to the publication of the UK Government’s British Energy Security Strategy, which set out Government’s response to the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

Like lots of countries across the world, removing the country’s dependence on – and price exposure to – volatile global gas markets is at the heart of this strategy.  This will be achieved through the rapid deployment of homegrown and affordable low carbon electricity generation and the enabling electricity network infrastructure required to support it.

Nick Winser’s report is therefore a hugely important moment for current and future policy makers and our national endeavor to address climate change and secure our future energy independence by building a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system.

Over recent months we have embarked on a series of extensive public consultations to support the ongoing development of several major projects across the north of Scotland that are required to deliver this national endeavor.  We have received significant stakeholder feedback and are actively considering potential alternative overhead line routes and substation locations and will shortly set out the next steps in the development of these projects, including potential changes to our early designs.

However, despite the fact that these projects have been independently assessed by the GB Electricity System Operator, National Grid ESO, as required to meet Government 2030 targets; with the need for these projects also approved by the independent GB energy regulator, Ofgem; we continually find ourselves being questioned on why these projects need to happen at all.

A national campaign on the need and opportunities of the clean energy transition

We therefore welcome Nick Winser’s recommendation for a Government-led National Campaign on the Need for Infrastructure and Jobs, which we believe is critical to raise wider awareness of both the need for the infrastructure that is required to deliver Government’s energy targets and the significant opportunities these investments present across the economy. 

Given the cross-party political and societal support for a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system, we believe elected members across the political spectrum need to do more to promote why these projects are so important to meet our future energy needs.  Industry also has an equally important role to play to not just explain the need but promote the benefits these projects will unlock.

Supporting economic growth and delivering local benefits

Independent economic analysis undertaken on our 2030 network investment plans has estimated that our investments alone will support over 20,000 jobs across the country, contributing over £6bn in value to the economy. We also recently announced our commitment that will see over £10m being spent on a Community Benefit Fund, for projects already underway or expected to commence before March 2026, to deliver a sustainable and positive legacy for communities hosting large net zero infrastructure assets.

So, we also welcome Nick Winser’s recommendation that communities hosting this critical national infrastructure should receive Community Benefit funding.  

Looking forward to long-term community benefit proposals recently consulted on by the UK Government, we strongly support the need for this funding to be ambitious to deliver transformational change for these communities. 

A recent report by independent not-for-profit think tank, Onward, made a series of recommendations in their report ‘Power to the People: How to unlock energy infrastructure by securing community support’.  The report is an interesting and positive contribution to the debate. In our view, the key point is that irrespective of the exact amount or mechanism, a substantial community benefit is needed for new transmission infrastructure and we would encourage the Government to progress this as a matter of urgency.

With the north of Scotland’s and its vast renewable resources set to make an outsized contribution to delivering UK and Scottish Government net zero targets, we believe it is only right that the region benefits from the leading role it is set to play in the clean energy transition. 

Network planning processes and need for certainty

Another common theme in our engagement with communities and wider stakeholders is concerns that network planning processes only look ahead around 10 years so it’s good to see this addressed in Nick Winser’s recommendations for a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.  This seeks to build on recent network planning improvements through the Pathway to 2030 Holistic Network Design and will ensure that future network planning is undertaken on a whole system basis, with a rolling 10 and 25-year plan to provide better long-term visibility and certainty to stakeholders about future network requirements.

This long-term certainty is also key to secure the supply chain, particularly in the context of global constraints in some of the specialist equipment required to deliver our energy ambitions.  We therefore welcome Nick Winser’s recognition that the regulatory and policy landscape, including regulatory approvals, needs to reflect these constraints and provide clear certainty for all stakeholders.

Planning reform and avoiding delays

Finally, Nick Winser’s report makes a number of recommendations intended to accelerate the planning process for new electricity transmission infrastructure.  One of these recommendations is the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger following a planning authority objection, which based on current legislation would risk years of delay to the delivery of the critical national infrastructure required to build a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system.

As Nick Winser’s report makes clear, it is important to note that this change would in no way remove the potential for a Public Local Inquiry, but it would simply remove the automatic trigger regardless of the reasons behind a planning authority objection.  The decision on whether a Public Local Inquiry is required would instead be at the discretion of the decision maker, in this case Scottish Ministers, based on a balanced view of all statutory stakeholder and wider representation to planning applications.  Instead, Nick Winser’s report recommends an alternative process, for example, if a planning authority objected to a project based on visual impact alone, then a hearing could be called by the Minster to investigate this issue which would provide a quicker alternative to consider specific issues.

Given the delays associated with Public Local Inquiries are one of the greatest risks to the timely delivery of the strategic infrastructure required to meet our energy ambitions, we think this recommendation needs to be given careful consideration by Government.

It’s time for action

Nick Winser’s report makes a series of important recommendations and it is crucial that they are given the consideration they warrant by current and future policy makers.  If we are serious about tackling the climate emergency and securing our future energy independence, now is the time to agree on the actions required to deliver a cleaner, more secure and affordable energy system for current and future generations, and the significant economic benefits the clean energy transition presents.