We have completed the second round of pre-application consultation for the Denny to Wishaw Network Upgrade project marking the end of public consultation on the proposals.
As part of the community engagement across Falkirk and North Lanarkshire Council areas, events were held in seven locations all along the proposed construction route to give local people the opportunity to have their say on the plans. The formal consultation period closed on 21 November 2025.
The Denny to Wishaw Network Upgrade is a critical step in the UK’s energy transition. Scotland’s high-voltage transmission system needs to be ungraded to add capacity needed to accommodate the increased demand for energy we will all need in future.
The proposals include new equipment at the existing substations at Denny North, Bonnybridge, Cumbernauld, Easterhouse and Wishaw; increasing the voltage of three existing overhead lines from 275kV (275,000 volts) to 400kV; and building a new overhead transmission line between Bonnybridge and Glenmavis.
The upgrades delivered through the project would connect to existing transmission network and enable an additional 1,000MW of clean electricity to flow through the grid.
Feedback received during the public consultations will be used to refine the plans and support the development of a consent application to be submitted in 2026.
Fiona Muir, SP Energy Networks Project Manager for DWNO said, “Engaging with our communities is a crucial part of developing projects. The comments we receive play an important role in shaping the design and minimising any impacts on communities where our infrastructure is located.
“We are grateful to everyone who took the time to come along and find out more about the proposals and shared their views with us.
“The project team is now working all along the proposed route carrying out surveys and assessments that will inform the final version of the application which we will submit for consent in 2026.”
As the project moves forward, we will continue to work with local communities and share updates on key milestones. Ahead of the submission of the final consenting application to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, further exhibitions will be held to present the completed design to the community in advance.
It is anticipated the application for consent with supporting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be submitted in Spring 2026
A summary of feedback from the first round of pre-application consultation, as well as more information on the proposals, can be found on the project website.