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NETWORK / 12 / SEPTEMBER 2019 INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Turning ambition into action The launch of SSEN Transmission's draft business plan includes an ambition to tackle climate change, connect more renewable energy and transport it across the country. Managing director Rob McDonald tells Network editor Alec Peachey how the company is going to achieve this. S SEN Transmission has published ambitious plans for the future of the north of Scotland electricity transmission system. With the region home to some of the UK's greatest resources of renew - able energy, SSEN Transmission is aiming to be at the forefront of the country's fight to tackle climate change, connecting more renewable energy and transporting it across the country. The company has been consulting with stakeholders ahead of submitting a final plan to Ofgem in December as part of its RIIO T2 price control process. As part of Ofgem's consideration of the final plan, the regulator will consult with stakeholders during 2020 before determining what level of investment should be taken forward from 2021 through to 2026. In the dra† plan, SSEN Transmission's 'Certain View' sets out that a minimum in - vestment of £2.2 billion is required over the five-year period to maintain and grow the north of Scotland transmission network to meet the certain needs of current and future electricity generators and customers. A sig - nificant proportion of this investment will take place in the north east, with a focus on accommodating the growth in offshore wind in the area. Rob McDonald, managing director for SSEN Transmission, said: "It's a £2.2bn investment programme that will result in us connecting at least another 6GW of renewable generation, doubling the existing capacity. The central proposition of the plan is five clear goals for the five years which we think reflect the feedback we've had from a wide-ranging stakeholder engagement exercise." The five goals are as follows: l Transport the renewable electricity that powers 10 million homes (circa 10 GW) l 100 per cent network reliability for homes and businesses l Every connection delivered on time l One third reduction in SSEN Transmis- sion's greenhouse gas emissions l £100m in efficiency savings from innova- tion. McDonald continued: "We think that we've submitted to Ofgem a very ambitious plan to develop, own, operate and maintain a network for net zero. It's a plan that will really contribute to decarbonisation while keeping bills as low as possible." Whilst welcoming the UK government's commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and the Scottish government's commitment to meet this target five years earlier, McDonald says a clearer policy direction is needed in order for the targets to be met. He told Network: "The commitment to net zero is a fantastic piece of leadership from the UK. I think it gives us a clear direc - tion to work to. I think we're now looking to the governments in Westminster and in Beatrice Offshore wind farm, 13km off the Caithness coast.