The Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission published a resolute plan that supports both the Scottish and UK Governments’ goals to ward off global warming.
The UK Government is set to fully decarbonise by 2050, while the Scottish Government aims to achieve the feat in 2045. SSEN Transmission leads the way with its ‘A Network for Net Zero’ plan set to achieve the targets by providing robust distribution channels across the region.
Details on ‘A Network For Net Zero’
SSEN Transmission intends to implement the Business Plan from April 2021 until March 2026, a period of coverage of six years to accomplish five key-point goals in the delivery of renewable energy. The draft has been subjected to significant consultations involving local and national stakeholders, and also includes RIIO-T2 User Group, the company’s independent expert.
The plan aspires to provide 100% network reliability to transport renewable electricity to businesses and homes. It targets dependable connections and on-time delivery of renewable energy that powers more than 10 million homes.
The distribution powerhouse also aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by one-third during the implementation. It expects efficiency savings of up to £100 million from the innovation.
SSEN Transmission Managing Director Rob McDonald said that ‘A Network for Net Zero’ is a blueprint that organises the group’s commitment to helping decarbonise the nation. It aims to invest in a secure and flexible low-carbon electricity network. It currently supports more than 6GW of clean power, but McDonald believes that the company can play a role in reaching the Governments’ net zero-emission targets.
McDonald calls the proposal a balanced package that reflects the stakeholders’ desire to provide clean energy to consumers at affordable costs, while also giving investors a fair return.
Changes the Plan Will Bring
‘A Network for Net Zero’ is set to have a minimum investment of £2.4 billion, as SSEN rolled out the ‘Certain View’ for the coming price control period. This investment is crucial to meet the current and prospective demands of a more extensive transmission network for customers and electricity generators. The amount covers the six years, as stated in the draft.
A slice of the investment will cater to the north east region, where the group eyes expansion on its offshore wind resources. Additional investments might be required, but will only be revealed once the need is determined to protect the billpayers.
SSEN Transmission sees a £7 per year average cost to consumers once the plan is set in motion.
The ambitious plan caters to the seamless delivery of renewable electricity to consumers, which can also benefit the nation as a whole in terms of decarbonising the economy.
Throughout the period coverage, SSEN aims to increase its 500 employees to over 700 through direct hiring, with additional jobs to be offered via the supply chain. It supports sustainable economic development across the network region.
Further Consultations
SSEN Transmission will discuss further with its stakeholders before submitting the finalised draft to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) during the price regulation process of the RIIO T2 in December. Before Ofgem considers the plan, the regulator will meet with stakeholders in 2020 before deciding the level of investment to be applied during the implementation from 2021 to 2026.
After the summer’s consultation, the company has revised the 100% network reliability target to reflect the feedback from stakeholders. They requested it to be the aspirational target, taking into account its cost-effectivity.
SSEN aims to be a leader in taking responsibility for one’s environmental impact as well as accelerating the growth of clean energy. It has set an ambitious target of reducing its greenhouse gas emission by a third, which is in line with delivering on the roadmap to net-zero.
The best contribution the company can give is to clean up its network transportation and fleet and clean up the gases used in its network.
