Haggis the Scottish robot dog gets £150,000 for HVDC data collection
Haggis the robot, developed by Ross Robotics, helps SSEN Transmission monitor and inspect electrical components and identify faults. Image courtesy SSEN Transmission.
Two projects led by SSEN Transmission in the UK have received funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund; one will see a robot dog in Scotland by the name of Haggis help monitor and inspect electrical components, identifying any faults or future maintenance requirements.
In 2024, SSEN Transmission deployed a new autonomous robot to help check electrical equipment at its Blackhillock HVDC switching station in Aberdeenshire – the first deployment of its kind in Scotland.
Known as EXTRM MK4.1, the robot was later named ‘Haggis’ in a competition involving local schoolchildren.
Haggis, developed by Ross Robotics, has now received a funding boost of £149,612 ($199,000) under SSEN Transmission’s ODIN project, which aims to develop automated methods for interpreting and diagnosing data collected by robots operating in HVDC halls.
The funding will be used to develop AI and machine learning techniques to interpret the data captured by Haggis, uncovering insights into HVDC asset behaviour to improve operational efficiency and support the development of a reliable and resilient network for net-zero.
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The ODIN project was one of two to win funding for SSEN Transmission under energy regulator Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
The other, known as the RAPID project, received £139,663 ($186,000). RAPID will examine ways to enhance the process of route design for new overhead line projects, in line with recommendations contained within a 2023 report by the UK Government’s independent Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser.
Working with other transmission operators and with the National Energy Systems Operator (NESO), the RAPID project will identify and prioritise innovations for route design, with the aim of standardising the process to help build stakeholder confidence in route selection.
Commenting in a release was Alan Ritchie, senior innovation manager at SSEN Transmission, who welcomed the news of the funding awards: “We’re delighted to receive these awards from the Strategic Innovation Fund, which will help take our ODIN and RAPID projects to the next level of development.
“Innovation plays a key role in our work to upgrade the transmission network in the north of Scotland, and we’ve been on an exciting innovation journey over the past year – with ODIN and RAPID among an extensive portfolio of sector-leading projects.”
Added Ritchie: “Overall, we anticipate our current portfolio has the potential to generate upwards of £190 million ($253.1 million) in benefits by the end of the 2026-31 price control period (RIIO-T3), demonstrating our substantial contributions to the sector and our dedication to using innovation to deliver a sustainable, resilient, and efficient electricity network for the future.”
