Balfour Beatty secures first works on multi-billion electricity project

Aerial render of the Netherton Hub project in Scotland. Image courtesy Balfour Beatty

Appointed as the common interface contractor, Balfour Beatty will deliver civil engineering and building works for the Spittal to Peterhead high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter station.

The Netherton Hub forms part of SSEN Transmission’s Pathway to 2030 programme, which is expected to cost between £22 billion and £31.7 billion (US$30–$43 billion).

The hub will enable renewable energy generated in northern Scotland to be converted to direct current and transmitted to demand centres across the UK.

Nick Rowan, managing director of Balfour Beatty in Scotland, said the project will, “ensure that homegrown renewable power can be transmitted to where it is needed most, while creating jobs, supporting apprenticeships and unlocking opportunities for the local supply chain.”

Balfour Beatty is also constructing a 400kV substation to support offshore and onshore generation, and a 132kV substation to enable future connections from third-party developers.

Main construction is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with the workforce expected to peak at around 800 people.

The Netherton Hub is regarded as a key element of the UK’s largest programme of electricity transmission reinforcement in decades, designed to accelerate grid connections for renewable energy and support national climate and energy security targets.