Ahead of council decisions expected this month, starting with Fanellan this week, Murphy, RJ McLeod, Global Infrastructure, John Gunn & Sons, and BAM say the projects are vital to the region’s economic growth and underpin investment for the future.

However, in the letter, the Highland businesses warn that delay or refusal of Fanellan or Bingally would create uncertainty for employers and the supply chain, putting at risk investment and future growth in the region.

The proposed substations form part of a wider programme to strengthen the electricity grid, enabling power generated in the north of Scotland to be transported to homes and businesses across the country. Businesses say these upgrades are essential to unlocking long-term economic activity, supporting jobs, skills and investment across communities in the Highlands.

Transmission investment is already supporting hundreds of jobs in the Highlands, with employment expected to rise significantly as projects progress.

At peak delivery, thousands of jobs across the wider supply chain – including construction, engineering, transport, accommodation, catering and local services – are expected to depend on the timely delivery of the programme.

In the letter, the companies said: “Fanellan and Bingally matter because they provide certainty which allows Highland businesses to invest with confidence: to open offices and depots, to recruit locally, to take on apprentices, and to commit to a long-term presence rather than short-term project teams. All of our companies have already made those commitments in reliance on the network upgrades progressing as planned.

“Delay or refusal would have real economic consequences. It would not simply pause an individual project; it would undermine confidence across the supply chain, disrupt workforce planning, and compound uncertainty across multiple linked projects, risking the slowing or displacement of investment that is currently flowing into Highland communities. At a time when the region is working hard to retain population, grow skilled employment and maximise the benefits of energy investment, that would be a significant setback.”

The firms also point to the scale of opportunity for the region. Through the Highland Social Value Charter, significant local economic and community benefits are expected to flow from transmission investment, including contracts for local businesses, investment in roads and infrastructure, support for new housing and environmental enhancement. Businesses say those benefits rely on key projects like Fanellan and Bingally being able to proceed.

While recognising the responsibility of councillors to scrutinise major infrastructure proposals carefully, the companies say it is important that decisions also reflect the economic reality on the ground and the role that projects like Fanellan and Bingally play in supporting investment, employment and long-term resilience across the Highlands.

The businesses are urging Highland Council to grant consent for the Fanellan and Bingally substations and ensure the region continues to capture the full economic benefits of major grid investment.

They said: “These projects, alongside wider transmission upgrades, represent a major economic prize for the Highlands – one that can deliver long-term jobs, growth and prosperity which the region should seize.”