Teams constructing the new Kinardochy Substation near Pitlochry have lent a hand to families in the community.
Staff from SSEN Transmission and principal contractor BAM Nuttall donated boxes of food as well as £250 in Coop gift cards to the local Atholl Centre food bank.
The donations helped families most in need over the festive period, with the option to use the gift cards to purchase their own food items, household products and Christmas-themed items.
The local Killiecrankie, Fincastle and Tummel Community Council also reached out to say they were in need of a helping hand to restore some designated parking spaces on Foss Road as well as the access road to the popular Loch Tummel Sailing Club near Foss.
Around 100 tonnes of stone were delivered to both Loch Tummel Sailing Club and Perth and Kinross Council to use once conditions improve to help make a safe and robust place for members to access the club, as well create up to 43 parking spaces across 30 locations on Foss Road.
Vice commodore at Loch Tummel Sailing Club Jennie Macintyre said: “We would like to say a big thank you to SSEN Transmission for donating stone from the site at Kinardochy to enable us to resurface the road and car park at Loch Tummel Sailing Club.
“The club here at nearby Foss is enjoyed by many families and encourages the enjoyment of water sports and sailing within our small rural community, as well as hosting many events which attract people Scotland-wide and beyond.”
The new substation, located around three miles from Tummel Bridge, plans to play a critical role in ensuring voltage limits on the transmission network remain stable and power flows can be efficiently managed, helping to enable the transition to net zero emissions.
Construction began in April this year and is on track to be completed by September 2024.
Gary Milne, SSEN Transmission lead project manager, said: “As guests in the area, it’s really important to us that we work with and support the local community wherever we can during the lifetime of this project.
“We are delighted to be able to help Loch Tummel Sailing Club and Perth and Kinross Council, and I’m pleased that the stone will be put to good use to help improve the access roads and parking area to the popular club, as well as create over 40 new parking spaces on nearby Foss Road.
“We’ve also got a team of experts working across this project across multiple disciplines, so when we heard that Highland Perthshire Community Land Trust were looking for some environmental input into their local BioBlitz drive, BAM Nuttall was delighted to spare some of their team to help advise and accurately record all of the species, saving a great deal of admin for the volunteer group.
“Finally – Christmas is such a difficult time for some, and the whole project team wanted to give something back to the community.
“The local Atholl Centre foodbank in Pitlochry is such a vital lifeline to families most in need, not just at this time of year, and we hope that our donation from the whole team will help the foodbank to provide some extra items and comforts to people who need it most.”
