Dozens of jobs created with contract to build pylons for major power line

A £100 million project to build pylons for a proposed power line in the Highlands will see a Scottish firm take on new staff.

Structural engineering company Had-Fab is creating 70 jobs as a direct result of work for SSEN Transmission for its planned Spittal to Beauly power line.

The line is part of a minimum of £22 billion SSEN is investing in upgrading electricity transmission infrastructure across the UK, with the work seen as vital to the delivery of renewable energy projects.

Nearly 500 pylons are to be built for the project, with the work described as being the largest award in Had-Fab’s history.

It is now looking to increase staff from the current total of 197 to more than 250 over the next 12 months.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Gillian Martin, the Scottish Government’s Energy Secretary, were both at a ceremony at Had-Fab’s site in Tranent, East Lothian, to mark the contract on Thursday.

Mr Murray said: “This is great news for our country’s clean power ambitions, and for more skilled jobs here in Scotland.

“The significant investment in Had-Fab will help to support more than 250 jobs, creating opportunities and putting more money in people’s pockets.

“This work is critical to unlocking Scotland’s vast renewable energy potential.

“The transmission towers being manufactured in East Lothian will form the backbone of the grid infrastructure we need to carry clean electricity generated by wind farms in the north of Scotland to benefit communities across Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.”

Ms Martin said: “Ensuring renewable power can flow from where it is generated to where it is needed is critical to Scotland’s just transition to net zero and for fully realising the economic opportunities from our abundant resources.

“I welcome this investment by SSEN Transmission to upgrade the grid across the north of Scotland and ensure companies based in Scotland benefit from the supply chain opportunities.

“It is also vital that local communities and businesses benefit from all aspects of our green revolution and just energy transition to net zero.

“We are committed to working with partners to ensure the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland and support a green and growing economy in which nobody is left behind.”

Rob McDonald, managing director of SSEN Transmission, said: “The scale of this work secured by Had-Fab demonstrates the major economic opportunities that are generated by investing to upgrade our electricity transmission infrastructure.

“Maximising the opportunities presented by Scotland’s clean power potential and growing the economy to support high quality jobs go hand in hand.

“That is exactly what is happening here in East Lothian, and in many other communities across the country, and demonstrates that we have supply chain companies with the skills and experience to support the journey we must complete to a clean power future.”