We've now launched this year’s Powering Communities to Net Zero (PCNZ) fund, and we're welcoming applications from communities, charities and local not-for-profit organisations through our PCNZ webpage.
Applications are open until noon on Thursday 21 May 2026 and the fund, which was introduced as part our current ED2 business plan, is awarding £3m in shareholder-funded grants by 2028 in two categories:
- Physical and environmental resilience
This provides grants to support communities during prolonged power interruptions caused by storms, and aid their ability to cope in periods of severe weather. - Low-carbon technologies
This is to help support the purchase and adoption of new Low-Carbon Technologies like heat pumps and solar panels – and energy-saving measures when combined with LCT installations – by non-profit organisations.
In 2025, we awarded £693,000 to a total of 57 projects through the PCNZ fund, helping local communities across its network areas.
- Ten low-carbon technology and 22 resilience projects were funded in central southern England, with values of £129,000 and £215,000 respectively.
- Ten 10 low-carbon technology and 15 resilience projects were funded in the north of Scotland, with values of £189,000 and £160,000 respectively.
Community-led physical and environmental resilience grants
The UK’s changing weather patterns and more volatile climate have been reflected in windier, wetter winters and hotter summers, increasing the need for communities to prepare and adapt. In acknowledging this, we intend to allocate around half of this year’s funding for applications relating to physical and environmental resilience measures. The maximum award in this category has also been increased, to allow grants of up to £20,000 to be awarded.
Low-carbon technology grants
The remaining share of the fund will be available for non-profit organisations to apply for grants to go towards the purchase of new low-carbon technologies. Projects that are well advanced in their development will be prioritised.
For example, a successful grant application could result in a social housing scheme or community centre being awarded funding to contribute to the cost of EV chargers, solar panels, battery storage or backup, low-carbon heating systems, or smart heating controls.
Applicants who’ve already carried out an energy audit to provide recommendations for what to install and to give an idea of potential cost savings will be considered favourably. Funding for energy-saving measures will be considered, but priority will be given to applications looking to install technology such as heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage.
Grants of up to £20,000 will be awarded to successful applicants in this category.
SSEN Distribution’s Managing Director Chris Burchell, says:
“Powering communities to thrive while supporting their transition to a decarbonised future is one of our main aims, so we’re delighted to have funded 57 new initiatives in last year’s Powering Communities to Net Zero (PCNZ) fund.
“This year, we’re committing to help even more local organisations in their efforts to enhance and support their communities, and to help them to stay resilient during severe weather or support their sustainability goals.
“I’m pleased to open applications for the third year of this fund, which is designed to both strengthen resilience and improve local environments. Since the fund’s launch, we’ve awarded over £1.62 million across our licence areas to support this mission.
“We look forward to receiving this year’s applications and continuing to back projects that make a meaningful difference.”
How to apply for Powering Communities to Net Zero funding
Applications are now open for the 2026/27 fund; guidance documents and application forms can be found at www.ssen.co.uk/pcnz.
To be eligible for funding, your project must help communities that lie wholly within Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ distribution areas.
If you're unsure who your distribution network operator is, please check this link.
Groups don’t need to be a registered charity to apply, but organisations sending in an application must have a constitution (a governing document or set of rules) and be set up on a not-for-profit basis. If you are unsure if your group is eligible, please contact us for advice.
Extra help with your application
To help support prospective applicants, we're hosting two webinars to help review the fund guidelines and answer questions that you may have about the fund. Please register your interest using this link below, and you’ll be given joining instructions for the webinar you choose.
Wednesday 1 April at 7pm - register here to attend this webinar
Tuesday 21 April at 12:30pm - register here to attend this webinar
Our community funding in action
Bromham Community Hub in Wiltshire received a grant of nearly £20,000 to install battery storage to its existing solar array, boosting its power and cutting its costs through the use of low-carbon technologies.
Chair of the Trustees, Sue Wilkinson, says:
"We’re absolutely delighted to have installed our new solar battery system, made possible through the generous support of SSEN’s Powering Communities to Net Zero Fund. This upgrade will significantly reduce our running costs and carbon footprint, strengthening the long‑term sustainability of the Bromham Community Hub.
“We’re very grateful to SSEN for their support in helping us take this important step forward."
With Aberdeen experiencing a particularly challenging winter when widespread ice and snow hit the city for prolonged periods, the award of nearly £6,000 to Ashgrove and Stockethill Community Council proved to be invaluable in keeping the pavements clear.
Fiona Meade (pictured above), the community council’s Vice Chair and Winter Resilience co-ordinator says:
"The PCNZ grant allowed our winter resilience team to upgrade our pavement gritters to heavy duty high-capacity salt spreaders. These gritters allow our volunteers to cover more ground, making our team more efficient and sustainable, whilst keeping our community safe in icy and snowy conditions."
Cowes Town Council on the Isle of Wight secured £15,000 in funding to strengthen local resilience in the event of a flooding emergency, through essential flood‑response equipment such as sack trucks, generators, brushes, buckets and cleaning materials, as well as a dedicated storage container to house the items.
Cowes Mayor, Councillor Stuart Ellis, says:
“This funding gives us a real opportunity to strengthen Cowes’ resilience in the face of flooding. By investing in practical equipment that can be deployed quickly, we want to help our community to respond more effectively when it matters most. We are very grateful to SSEN for its support.”
In Angus, Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust received over £10,300 to purchase flood protection equipment for use by their Resilience Team to support the local response during severe weather.
Ali Napier, chair of Meigle and Ardler Community Development Trust and a volunteer with the local Resilience Team, says:
“We’ve experienced significant rainfall and flooding in Meigle in recent years, and so this award from SSEN Distribution will make a real difference to our local communities.
“Empowering residents and businesses with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to protect their homes and properties is crucial to fostering a sense of security and readiness for severe weather - the idea is that by bolstering community strength, we can weather any storm and thrive in adverse situations.
“Thanks to this award from SSEN Distribution, our Resilience Team and our community now have equipment in place to help mitigate the impact of such events, helping people feel safer, be more self-sufficient and able to cope during storms or periods of prolonged rainfall in the future.”
Teffont Parish Council in Salisbury was awarded just over £2,600 to purchase a storage container for emergency equipment required in the event of power outages and storms, building on the community’s established resilience plans.
David Wood, Chairman of the Teffont Trust said:
"The village of Teffont has been working for several years to build a strong community resilience plan, and we’re proud to have now established a fully-equipped Emergency Hub in our village hall. The support provided through the PCNZ award from SSEN has been invaluable; previously enabling us to purchase essential items such as a generator, submersible pumps, flood barriers, torches, and walkie‑talkies.
“Our most recent award has allowed us to strengthen our preparedness even further with the addition of a secure storage container, floodlights, and waterproof extension cables. As a community, we are extremely grateful for this ongoing support, which we firmly believe has significantly improved our readiness should the worst happen.”
Other support SSEN provides
More than 1.2 million customers in SSEN Distribution’s network areas are now signed up to SSEN’s Priority Services. Being signed up can give access to further, tailored support during a power cut, when people need it the most. All these services are provided free of charge. For more information and to sign up, visit http://www.ssen.co.uk/psr.