SSEN Distribution has announced a £2.5m upgrade to the electricity network between Banchory and Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, work it says began six months before its completion date of September 2025. The company is working with its contract partner OCU to install 13km of new upgraded overhead lines, supported by over 200 replacement wooden poles1.
The announcement, published on 7 July 2025, states that the combination of new assets will make the local network stronger and better able to withstand a typical Aberdeenshire winter. SSEN says the upgraded transformers and lines will also be able to transport more load and support an increase in low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps in local homes and businesses1.
Graeme Gill, SSEN Distribution's Construction Team Manager, said:
"This 6-month project is a major boost to the network in and around Banchory and Aboyne, and one that will make a big difference to local supplies for many years to come when we finish the works in September."
The company said temporary traffic management has been necessary on some occasions to keep everyone safe, giving the example of teams replacing sections of overhead line that cross a road. Gill thanked drivers in the area for their patience1.
SSEN Distribution is the distribution network operator for central southern England and the north of Scotland, covering the Banchory and Aboyne area. Households can check which company operates their local network using the site's guide to who is my distribution network operator?, and there is further background on SSEN's networks, storms and priority services in the national supply section.
Why it matters for households
Overhead lines and wooden poles are the part of the network most exposed to wind, and the announcement ties the replacement programme directly to reducing the risk of weather damage over winter. For a household in the area, that is the difference between a supply that holds through a storm and one that does not.
The stated increase in the network's ability to carry load is the other half of the story. A stronger local network is what allows homes to add technologies that draw more electricity, such as heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers, without the connection becoming the limiting factor. SSEN's wording links the two: the same assets that improve resilience are described as supporting more low-carbon load1.
The announcement does not give figures for how much additional load the upgraded lines and transformers can carry, how many properties are connected in the area, or how many supply interruptions the existing assets have caused. None of that has been reported.
What happens next
SSEN says the works finish in September 20251. Temporary traffic management is expected to continue at points where overhead lines cross roads until then. No further detail on the timing of individual sections, or on any planned interruptions to supply during the remaining work, has been reported.
Householders with concerns about work near overhead lines can refer to the site's guidance on safety precautions near overhead power lines.