A Scottish structural engineering company has landed a £100 million contract to manufacture nearly 500 steel transmission towers, directly creating 70 new jobs as part of Britain’s largest electricity grid upgrade in generations.
Had-Fab, based in Tranent, East Lothian, secured the contract from SSEN Transmission to fabricate towers for the proposed Spittal to Loch Buidhe to Beauly 400kV overhead line project. The deal represents the largest award in the company’s 31-year history and forms part of a minimum £22 billion investment programme to modernise Scotland’s electricity transmission infrastructure.
The towers, standing approximately 187 feet (57 metres) tall, will support a 167-kilometre transmission line designed to carry renewable energy generated in the Scottish Highlands to population centres across Britain. The project is considered critical infrastructure for meeting the UK government’s target of achieving 95% low-carbon electricity generation by 2030.
Significant Workforce Expansion
The contract award has triggered substantial employment growth at Had-Fab, which has already expanded its workforce from 120 to 197 employees over the past 18 months. The additional 70 positions directly linked to this project will increase total staff numbers to more than 250 over the next year, with roles spanning design and engineering to project management and planning.
“These contracts reflect the continuing trust placed in Had-Fab’s capabilities,” said Anthony Jones, the company’s chief commercial officer. The firm has also opened a new commercial, projects and engineering office in Glasgow employing 15 people, demonstrating its expanding operational footprint.
The pylon contract sits within SSEN Transmission’s “Pathway to 2030” programme, which represents one of the most ambitious infrastructure investments in British history. The company expects to invest at least £22 billion between April 2026 and March 2031, with potential for the total to reach £31.7 billion depending on additional project approvals.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray highlighted the broader economic significance, stating: “This is great news for our country’s clean power ambitions, and for more skilled jobs here in Scotland. This work is critical to unlocking Scotland’s vast renewable energy potential”.
Strategic Infrastructure Development
The Spittal to Beauly transmission line addresses a critical bottleneck in Scotland’s energy infrastructure. The existing network in the Highlands was built in the 1960s to serve regional demand but cannot accommodate the surge in renewable energy generation from new offshore wind farms and interconnectors.
Rob McDonald, managing director of SSEN Transmission, emphasised the project’s significance: “The scale of this work secured by Had-Fab demonstrates the major economic opportunities that are generated by investing to upgrade our electricity transmission infrastructure”.
The transmission upgrade will enable clean electricity generated in northern Scotland to reach demand centres across Britain, supporting energy security objectives while reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports. The project also includes over £32 million in community benefit funding for areas along the transmission route.
