• Final Plan for Ealing published following public consultation.

  • First draft plans published for Scotland’s future electricity system.

  • First DNOA Assurance Report published.

We're moving forward with its strategic development of a net zero electricity system, with the publication of an updated Strategic Development Plan for the local network in the Ealing area of West London.

This comes after a draft version was open for consultation earlier this year. A range of stakeholders met us to give their informed input into the final strategy. This updated version reflects their feedback.

Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) will be produced for all parts our licence areas. SDPs set out a regional view of expected generation and demand growth, and related network investment need, in stages to 2030 and 2050. They will act as blueprints for optimal investment and will be updated annually to reflect emerging local insights and future policy changes. 

Strategic Plans for the north of Scotland

We have also now opened consultations for the first three draft Strategic Development Plans in the North of Scotland. These are for the areas served by Thurso South Grid Supply Point (the Orkney Islands and northeast Caithness); Port Ann & Carradale Grid Supply Points (serving the Kintyre Peninsula, the Islay, Jura and Colonsay archipelago, and Arran); and Taynuilt Grid Supply Point (for Oban and the Mull / Coll / Tiree archipelago)

Consultations for the Thurso, and Port Ann & Carradale Grid Supply Points will be open ‘til Tuesday 10 December 2024. People can add to the contributions which have already been submitted via SSEN’s website. The consultation for the Taynuilt Grid Supply Point will be open ‘til Friday 20th December 2024; this too can be accessed on the SSEN website.

People can provide their responses at the following links:
Thurso
Port Ann & Carradale
Taynuilt

These Plans propose options to upgrade networks so the communities concerned can decarbonise quickly and efficiently, whilst providing sufficient capacity and resilience for net zero. These Plans will also reflect stakeholder feedback and will be presented to Ofgem early next year for project development and delivery.

Ensuring a transparent, and fit-for-purpose process

We've also published its first Distribution Network Options Assessment (DNOA) Assurance Report. The DNOA process considers detailed options to address capacity needs. It also provides visibility of how decisions are made in adapting the network for net zero.

To ensure the DNOA methodology is correctly applied - and transparency in how outcomes are reached - consultants have conducted an independent assurance assessment into the first DNOA outcomes report. It concludes that good practice was followed, and that the options proposed were correctly identified and assessed, with some areas for further improvement also cited.

We'll take on board suggestions for further improvement and incorporate these into future DNOA outcome reports and DNOA methodologies. Future reports will be assessed in a similar way to reassure stakeholders on the merits of our approach.

Andy Wainwright, Whole System Team Manager at SSEN Distribution says:

“We’re on a mission to develop an electricity system that’s smart, fair, and fit for net zero, in line with the UK Government’s new ‘Clean Power 2030’ goals and subsequent targets. This can only be achieved through collaboration with our stakeholders, which is at the heart of our strategic planning process.

“We know that not all of our stakeholders speak the language of electricity networks, so we are working hard to make our consultations and reports as accessible as possible to ensure they genuinely reflect and are driven by stakeholder input.” 

For further information and to read the Ealing Strategic Development Plan and the DNOA Assurance Report, please visit the SSEN website.

To find out more about collaborating with SSEN on the road to net zero, please contact whole.system.distribution@sse.com.