SSEN Distribution has appointed South Uist headquartered civil engineering firm, MacAulay Askernish Ltd (MAL), as its main contractor for major projects across the Western Isles.
The partnership will see the island firm maintain and create a total of 75 jobs, with its teams carrying out projects such as the renewal and reinforcement of SSEN’s network of wooden poles and overhead lines, upgrading and updating its substations and making improvements to the underground cable network.
MacAulay Askernish is well known across the Western Isles undertaking Scottish Water and Comhairle upgrades and projects.
All of the work being undertaken by MAL Group and SSEN’s depots is designed to boost
network resilience in the face of a more volatile climate, support the connection
of low-carbon technologies and decarbonised industries, and increase reliability
for every customer.
With SSEN Distribution’s network taking electricity on the final part of its journey into homes and businesses, its role is critical in powering local communities while at the same time enabling people to connect both existing and new technologies like EV chargers, solar panels, and heat pumps to the network.
The framework agreed with MAL Group will allow SSEN to plan work in a more effective and efficient way, completing upgrades, connections and asset replacement at the same time, and ultimately reducing the impact on customers by working on the network as efficiently as possible.
And on a wider scale, SSEN is embarking on an mammoth system upgrade to the north of Scotland’s electricity distribution infrastructure to export renewable energy around the grid.
SSEN’s director of large capital delivery, Fraser Hood, said: “The job of helping
deliver net zero and its benefits for society is an enormous one, but this record
investment from SSEN in the north of Scotland means we’re in the best-possible position
to effectively and efficiently deliver the fit-for-purpose electricity system for
the future.
“In selecting our contract partners after a fair, open, and competitive tendering process, we’ve secured the ability to deliver our massive programme of investment. This will ensure increased resilience, flexibility, and capacity for our 800,000 customers in the north of Scotland.
“At SSEN Distribution, we’re committed to being at the heart of the communities we serve. Our investment in the Western Isles will boost the reliability and resilience of our infrastructure here, and this partnership with MAL Group will help maintain and create skilled jobs across these communities.”
Alistair MacAulay, managing director at MacAulay Askernish, said: “We’re delighted
to have been selected as SSEN Distribution’s contract partner for the Western Isles
– it’s a testament to our team's expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality
infrastructure solutions.
“Working with SSEN - a company renowned for its dedication to innovation and sustainability
- provides us with a unique opportunity to contribute to the region's transition
to net-zero.
“We’re excited to leverage our combined expertise to deliver projects that not only enhance the electricity distribution network but also bring substantial benefits to the local communities, including the training of apprentices, offering them skills which will enable them to keep on living and working in the local area.
“Our collaboration with SSEN will allow us to implement cutting-edge technologies
and best practices, ensuring that we deliver efficient, reliable, and environmentally-friendly
solutions.”
Major contract success for MacAulay Askernish
8 April 2025
