Ssen Transmission joins European cyber security network

SSEN Transmission has joined the European Network for Cyber Security as an Information & Knowledge Sharing member, bringing a major UK electricity transmission operator into a European cybersecurity network for critical infrastructure.

The membership gives SSEN Transmission access to ENCS research, technical documentation and knowledge-sharing with European transmission and distribution system operators. Key areas include testing, operational technology security operations and the development of cybersecurity practices for grid infrastructure.

SSEN Transmission operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland. Its network covers more than a quarter of the UK's land mass and includes substations, overhead lines, underground cables and subsea cables.

The decision comes as cyber threats to essential services face growing scrutiny from governments and operators. The UK National Cyber Security Centre reported 204 nationally significant cyber incidents in the year to August 2025, up 130% on the previous year, including cases affecting critical infrastructure.

Shared concerns

ENCS is a non-profit membership organisation that works with critical infrastructure groups and security specialists across Europe. Founded in 2012, it supports members through applied research, technical security requirements, testing, education and training.

Its network includes transmission system operators, distribution system operators and regulators. By joining as an Information & Knowledge Sharing member, SSEN Transmission is entering a forum focused on common cybersecurity issues across energy networks, rather than a bilateral arrangement with a single partner.

That matters because electricity operators increasingly face similar challenges across borders, especially in the operational technology environments that underpin power networks. Utilities must also respond to a regulatory climate in the UK and EU that places greater emphasis on secure systems and formal cybersecurity practices.

"Cybersecurity is a shared challenge across Europe's energy sector, and collaboration is fundamental to staying ahead of evolving threats," said Anjos Nijk, Managing Director of ENCS.

"Across both the UK and EU, regulatory frameworks place clear requirements on investment in robust security practices and secure systems. We are pleased to welcome SSEN Transmission to ENCS and strengthen cooperation across the sector," Nijk said.

Cross-border work

For SSEN Transmission, the arrangement broadens the expertise available to its operational technology and cyber teams. The company is in the middle of a wider investment and build-out programme tied to the electricity network in northern Scotland, where infrastructure upgrades are closely linked to reliability and the transmission of power over long distances.

Operational technology security has become a particular concern for energy operators because these systems control physical assets and industrial processes. Disruption in these environments can have consequences beyond data loss, affecting electricity flows and service continuity.

Participation in the ENCS network will help the UK operator look beyond domestic peers and compare approaches with companies across Europe. That includes exchanging practical experience on security operations and learning from work already carried out elsewhere in the sector.

"Joining ENCS provides an opportunity to collaborate with peers across Europe at a time when regulatory expectations around energy network cybersecurity continue to evolve. With the growth journey that SSEN Transmission is undertaking, it is vital that we look beyond our UK peers to ensure we are tapping into best practice across the continent to solve the shared problems and escalating cyber threats we face as operators of essential services," said Iain Dougan, Head of Operational Technology and Cyber at SSEN Transmission.

The announcement also points to closer links between UK and European operators on cybersecurity despite differing national systems and regulatory structures. Grid operators often face the same technical risks in industrial control systems, supply chains and field equipment, making sector-wide exchanges valuable even when assets remain nationally owned and managed.

For ENCS, adding a large British transmission operator extends its reach into a strategically significant part of the European energy system for electricity transmission and offshore network development. For SSEN Transmission, the membership places it inside an established network focused on the cybersecurity of critical energy infrastructure.

The backdrop remains a rise in serious cyber incidents affecting organisations that run essential services, with the UK recording 204 nationally significant cases in the year to August 2025.