SSEN Transmission has delivered £296m in savings for electricity consumers by reducing constraint costs across the national transmission network, highlighting the growing importance of grid investment in supporting Britain’s clean energy transition.
The savings were confirmed by the National Energy System Operator under the System Operator: Transmission Owner Optimisation incentive, which rewards measures that improve network efficiency while maintaining reliability.
Constraint costs occur when the electricity grid cannot transport all available power, forcing generators, often renewable energy providers, to reduce output. These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through electricity bills.
SSEN Transmission said targeted engineering solutions and grid upgrades are helping reduce these costs while enabling more renewable electricity to move around the network. Expanding transmission capacity is viewed as essential for cutting emissions, improving energy security and reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets.
One key project is the upgrade of the Fetteresso substation in Aberdeenshire from 275kV to 400kV. Temporary bypass infrastructure has been installed to keep electricity flowing during construction, avoiding major disruption and reducing the need to constrain renewable generation.
David McKay, Network Director at SSEN Transmission, said: “Reducing constraint costs is an important part of delivering a fair and efficient electricity system for consumers. The National Energy System Operator estimates that our interventions have delivered almost £300m of savings for consumers in the last financial year.”
He added: “Through continued investment in the network, we are removing bottlenecks, enabling more low-carbon generation to connect, and supporting energy security, reliability and affordability for consumers.”
SSEN Transmission is progressing a £29bn investment programme across the north of Scotland to unlock more homegrown renewable energy and support long-term decarbonisation.
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