Help for new electricity connections 20/3/14
An independent charitable trust set up by Scottish Hydro (now SSE) to help customers facing with high charges for a new electricity connection is urging islanders to apply.
The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is encouraging more applications, recently launching a new website so customers can apply online. The website for applicants wishing to apply is www.shect.org.
Ron Brown, trust chairman said: "The trust is in a position to provide assistance to individuals, charities or community groups struggling to fund high cost connections or upgrades to existing supplies."
The grants provided to date have helped both domestic customers and community projects who were quoted for new and upgraded connections in excess of £3000. Many of the successful applicants are located in rural locations and require connections that can be hundreds of metres long.
The level of award granted will be at the sole discretion of the trustees and normally amounts to 30% of the connections costs for domestic applications and in the case of community projects, a maximum of 50%.