Eight SHET Early Construction Funding applications

Details of outcome

In March 2026 we consulted on the Early Construction Funding (ECF) submission application by Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks Transmission’s (trading as Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Plc – ‘SHET’) for eight projects. The eight projects included in SHET’s application are: BLN4, SLU4, BBNC, BPNC, BDUP, TKUP, PSDC and Western Isles.

The allowances have been approved for SHET under the Accelerated strategic transmission investment (ASTI) ECF framework to support early construction activities for the projects. This includes land acquisition, enabling works, and purchasing important equipment, in line with licence provisions and ASTI principles.

Read the full outcome 

Original consultation

This consultation sets out our Early Construction Funding (ECF) assessment of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (trading as Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Plc – ‘SHET’) for eight electricity transmission projects as governed by SHET’s electricity transmission licence under the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) re-opener. This document outlines the scope, purpose, and questions of the consultation and how you can get involved. Once the consultation is closed, we will consider all responses.

The purpose of ECF is to enable certain permitted early construction activities to take place ahead of the projects receiving planning consents and being fully finalised. Ofgem are not involved in planning decisions, and the award of ECF does not influence, nor should it be taken to assume, the outcome of any relevant planning processes. Stakeholders are therefore encouraged to engage directly with the planning process, which remains the appropriate forum for commenting on project design or scope.

Our ECF decisions are designed to strike the right balance between enabling projects to progress at pace, where doing so is in the consumer's interest, and protecting consumers from disproportionate exposure to irrecoverable costs in the unlikely scenario that a project does not proceed as planned.

Who should respond

We would like views from people with an interest in new transmission infrastructure, meeting the net zero challenge, and competition in onshore transmission networks. 

We particularly welcome responses from consumer groups, stakeholders impacted by the projects, stakeholders with an interest in the costs of electricity transmission infrastructure, and transmission owners. We would also welcome responses from other stakeholders and the public.