Transmission Networks Short Life Working Group: consenting timescales review - September 2023

1. Introduction

1.1 In May 2022 SP Energy Networks ("SPEN")'s CEO wrote to the former Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport raising concerns regarding consenting timescales and the need to improve determination timescales under section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to meet net zero targets. This led to a meeting with SPEN and the Cabinet Secretary to discuss the existing planning and consenting process. An action from this meeting was the creation of a short life working group to review processes to accelerate determination timescales for grid applications. In addition, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission plc (SSEN Transmission)'s Managing Director wrote to the Cabinet Secretary on 14 November to emphasise the challenges the existing planning system posed to delivery of the 2030 Holistic Network Design projects required to facilitate the deployment Scotwind and other onshore generation to meet net zero targets.

1.2 The short life working group (SLWG) was established in October 2022 and comprises of representatives from SPEN, SSEN Transmission and the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit ("ECU"). Regular meetings have been held since 4 October 2022 to discuss existing processes and, explore opportunities and proposed changes to improve the current consenting procedures for section 37 applications for overhead lines at transmission voltages.

1.3 The purpose of this report sets out the background, considerations and proposes recommendations to be put forward to the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, and the Minister for Energy and Environment, with the aim of accelerating consenting timeframes for grid network applications under the Electricity Act 1989 to meet net zero targets.

1.4 The recommendations set out in this report are for the consideration of Scottish Ministers. The Electricity Networks Commissioner (ENC) was appointed and tasked with providing advice to the UK Government on how to reduce the time it takes to deliver transmission infrastructure in Great Britain. The ENC Companion Report Findings and Recommendations (June 2023) is available from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The ENC report to the UK Government sets out 18 recommendations on how to accelerate the deployment of strategic electricity transmission infrastructure in Great Britain. Recommendation 11 is implement reforms to the Electricity Act 1989 consenting process in Scotland and the intention of these reforms is broadly aligned with the recommendations of this report to the Scottish Ministers (recommendations set out in Table 1).