Energy Consents Unit: annual report 2025-2026

1 Foreword from Head of the Energy Consents Unit

This has been another demanding and important year for the Energy Consents Unit.

Throughout the reporting period, we have continued to see high levels of demand, alongside applications that are increasingly complex in scale, technology and public interest. The projects considered through the consenting system are critical to Scotland’s future energy system, and to the infrastructure needed to support decarbonisation, security of supply and economic growth.

In response to these pressures, the significant expansion of the Unit’s staffing and organisational structure from 2024/25 has been a major and necessary step forward. It has helped strengthen our resilience, improve consistency in case handling and ensure that we are better placed to manage a challenging and evolving portfolio of work.

At the same time, we recognise that determination times remain a key area of focus. The time taken to reach decisions is often shaped by the scale and complexity of individual projects, the issues raised through consultation, and the evidence needed to support robust advice to Scottish Ministers. However, we remain committed to improving timeliness wherever possible.

This year has also seen important progress in making the system more effective and transparent. New guidance, improved functionality on the ECU Portal, including the ability to submit representations online, and continued investment in staff development have all contributed to a more accessible and consistent process for applicants, consultees and the public.

The year ahead will bring further change. The Unit will be supporting work towards determinations on priority transmission infrastructure applications, navigating the impacts of recent court judgments, and helping to deliver reforms to modernise the consenting process. These priorities will require continued focus, collaboration and adaptability.

I am grateful to the staff across the Unit for their professionalism and commitment, and to all those who engage with the consenting process. Their contribution is essential to supporting timely, transparent and well-informed decisions that will help shape Scotland’s future energy system.

Catherine Cacace

Head of Energy Consents