News

engineering and infrastructure company Murphy hosted an open day for local stakeholders and guests at their ASTI Hub South office in Fyrish House in Alness.

 

Murphy is preparing to help SSEN Transmission deliver a series of major electricity infrastructure projects across the north of Scotland, which are being taken forward under Ofgem’s Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) Framework. SSEN Transmission plans to invest £22bn+ in new and upgraded infrastructure across the north of Scotland to help achieve the country’s energy security and clean power targets.

 

The Alness office is associated with SSEN Transmission’s proposed Spittal – Loch Buidhe – Beauly 400kV overhead line project and Carnaig 400kV substation.

 

Fyrish House in Alness, known as the ‘ASTI Hub South’, has been established for almost two years as a dedicated project hub to support the delivery of this work. The site has evolved from its initial opening in late 2023 with just six staff to now hosting 80 team members, with plans to exceed 100 roles next year should the project progress through the planning process. It comes as part of a wider ambition to deliver 1,000 jobs across the Highlands at the peak of the ASTI Framework in 2028.

 

Significant investment in the local supply chain has transformed a previously vacant building into a vibrant centre for the project. Recent milestones include the opening of a dedicated training facility and occupation of the last remaining wing to accommodate further project staff. So far, more than a third of the current team have been recruited locally, underlining Murphy’s commitment to local employment.

 

Liam Corr, Energy Managing Director at Murphy, said: “This ASTI Hub South, alongside our ASTI Hub North in Thurso which we officially opened last month, reflects our ongoing investment in people, infrastructure, and local partnerships.

 

‘Together, we hope these facilities will form a strategic backbone for project delivery and support us in this first phase of recruitment, with the Thurso Hub itself creating up to 50 new skilled roles in the region alongside the 80 people already employed here in Alness; laying the foundation for a significantly expanded workforce as our operations scale up across Caithness”.

 

Kevin Smith, Programme Director for Onshore at SSEN Transmission, said: “Following the recent opening of Murphy’s hub in Thurso, expansion of the Alness hub is another illustration of how the country’s transition to a clean power future through upgrading the electricity grid is supporting high-quality, skilled jobs in communities across the north of Scotland.

 

“The benefits that come with our projects include over £1 billion in expected contracts for Highland businesses, and we are committed to working in partnership with communities to maximise the local opportunities associated with our investment programme. Supporting training and employment to enable people to work and raise families in the Highlands and elsewhere in the north of Scotland is at the heart of that."

 

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