The development of the Errochty substation will see the installation of new transformers and will renew and modernise the transmission and distribution capabilities at this substation, to facilitate the increase in capacity at the Tummel Bridge Hydro Power Station.

This is the first major project awarded to Burns & McDonnell under the RIIO T2 EPC Substation AIS (Air Insulated Switchgear) Framework and will support SSEN Transmission’s work to upgrade Scotland’s transmission infrastructure so that it has the capacity to achieve the Scottish Government’s target to have more than 20 GW of additional renewable electricity on and offshore by 2030.

Alongside Burns & McDonnell’s Engineering and Construction teams, the project’s development will also be supported by Burns & McDonnell’s Environmental Services (ENS) Group. The ENS Group will advise on the environmental and social impacts of the project in order to mitigate environmental impact, provide sustainable solutions, and ensure continued engagement with the local community.

The contract consolidates Burns & McDonnell’s position in the UK energy market. The firm has been operating in the United States for over 125 years and opened its first European office in Birmingham in 2017. Since then, the team in the UK has more than tripled in size, opening its first Scottish office in Glasgow in June 2022. The business has been building its portfolio of work in the country, as well as expanding its practices to include mission-critical work.

Jonathan Chapman, UK managing director, Burns & McDonnell, said: “I’m proud that Burns & McDonnell has been awarded the Errochty substation project under the AIS Framework Agreement. This is the first major project that we have been awarded as part of the framework.

“It is exciting to be part of the essential and ambitious work that SSEN Transmission is undertaking to update the network across Scotland and prepare for the transition to net zero. We are keen to begin the project at Errochty. This expansion of our activities across Scotland is testament to the work we have been doing in the UK.”