The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is an independent charitable trust set up in 1998 by Scottish Hydro Electric plc, and it considers applications for support with the cost of connecting to the electricity network for individual homeowners, and also for community groups with charitable status.
The Trust is looking to support up to 75% of the cost of connections for successful community projects and up to 50% of the cost for individuals looking for support to meet the costs of a new domestic connection. As a charity, it is required to means-test applications for domestic connections.
The next round of applications closes on Wednesday 14 May 2025, with future applications being considered by Trustees on a quarterly basis.
David Telford, Trust Chairman, said:
“In the last year we awarded over £110,000 of grants in support of the cost of new connections to the electricity network throughout SSEN’s Scottish distribution area reaching north from Arran, Argyll and Bute, Perthshire, Dundee and Angus, to the Highlands, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and all points in between, with £16,300 of this total awarded to community projects providing significant benefit to their local communities.
“The Trust was initially set up to help those facing challenges connecting to the electricity network, particularly in some of our more rural mainland and island communities and we’re delighted to continue providing this vital support, both to individuals and to community groups nearly 30 years later.”
Muir of Ord Men’s Shed has received a grant to provide electricity to their social space and activity workshops in Muir of Ord. David Taylor, the group’s Chairperson, said:
“The electrical supply is for four industrial cabins from which to form a social space, an activity space and a workshop where men over 18 can meet to enjoy social interaction and the exchange of ideas and skills.”
Elgin Sports Community Trust has received a grant to provide electricity to their pavilion at the town’s Gleaner Arena, and their Chairman, Dave Allen, said:
“ESCT is about to build a pavilion on site at The Gleaner Arena, which is a floodlit full sized all-weather football pitch and two smaller multi-use games’ areas. The facilities are made available to the community at as low a cost as possible in order to encourage an active lifestyle. Management of the facilities is currently conducted from a small portacabin which now needs to be replaced. Planning permission has been received to build a 120m² pavilion which will allow administration and management of additional activities at the pitches, and provide post-match analyses to be conducted for girls’ teams in particular.”
Auchenblae Parks Committee has received a grant to provide electricity to their football pitch. David Sutherland, the committee’s Projects & Funding Coordinator, said:
“The Auchenblae Parks Committee embarked on an ambitious project in 2023 to re-name, restore and modernise the Auchenblae Football Pitch. This resulted in the pitch hosting its first match since 2005 and the reformation of Auchenblae FC which folded in 1996. We now have eight events over the summer calendar that involve boys, girls and adults young and old. Phase Two of the project is to get the football pavilion connected to the grid so that we have a power source for events, eventual electrification of the groundkeeping equipment and exit lights which we cannot do until we have the connection.”
Further applications are welcome after the closing date of Wednesday, 14 May as the Trust meets on a quarterly basis to regularly consider applications. For more information on the Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust, to apply online or download an application form, please visit www.shect.org.