Fund can help groups get connected
A community fund is now accepting applications for financial support to help connect them to the electricity network.
The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is an independent charitable trust set up in 1998 by what is now SSE.
The trust will now be considering applications for both homeowners and community groups who want help to connect to the electricity network in the north of Scotland.
Up to 75 per cent of the cost can be covered by the trust for community projects, and up to 50 per cent of the cost for individual homeowners.
Ron Brown, the trust’s chairman, said:“We are delighted to continue our support for individual homeowners and community projects in the north of Scotland.
“The trust was set up to help those facing challenges connecting to the electricity network, particularly in some of our most rural and island communities, so it’s great to see this support continue to benefit individual customers and wider communities over 20 years later.
“In the financial year to date, we’ve issued grants worth £128,700 to support individual homeowners often facing high costs to connect to the network in SSEN’s distribution area in the north of Scotland.
“We also awarded grants totalling £27,750 to support connection costs of community projects and are encouraging further applications from groups looking to provide significant benefits to their local communities.”
Last year, Kettins Parish Church received a grant from the Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust to connect their new parish hall to the electricity network.
Russell Miller, chairman of the east Perthshire based church, said: “Thank you for the grant which you have given us to assist with electricity connection charges. This is greatly appreciated.
“Our core purpose is to provide a new quality facility that can be used by the whole community as a central point for social events and provide the driver for new groups to be established.”
The deadline for the next round of applications is on Friday, March 1.To apply visit www.shect.org and download an application form.