Building Britain’s Electricity Superhighway: Ricky Saez, SSEN Transmission

In this episode.Our host, Stuart Broadley, is joined by Ricky Saez, Programme and Project Services Director as well as Eastern Green Link Project Director, at SSEN Transmission, for an in-depth conversation on one of the UK’s most ambitious and strategically important infrastructure projects.Drawing on a career spanning major energy developments and large-scale project delivery, Ricky provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenge of building the high-voltage transmission network needed to connect Britain’s growing renewable energy capacity with homes and businesses across the country. The discussion explores the scale and complexity of the Eastern Green Link projects, from subsea HVDC technology and global supply chains to regulatory frameworks, workforce planning, and multibillion-pound investment decisions.Ricky reflects on the difficult choices facing policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders as they seek to balance affordability, energy security, and decarbonisation. The Eastern Green Link (EGL) programme is a series of multi-billion-pound subsea "electricity superhighways" that carry renewable wind energy from Scotland to high-demand areas in England. The conversation examines the role of transmission infrastructure in reducing curtailment costs and the importance of maintaining long-term policy stability to attract international investment and supply chain capacity.The episode also offers valuable insights into leadership under pressure. Ricky shares his approach to building high-performing teams, creating psychologically safe working environments, and managing the uncertainty that comes with delivering first-of-a-kind projects at unprecedented scale.At the heart of the discussion is a simple but critical question: can the UK deliver the grid infrastructure required to unlock a cleaner, more secure, and more affordable energy future? For Ricky and his team, the answer depends on collaboration, consistency, and the successful delivery of projects that will shape Britain’s energy system for decades to come.What Is the EIC? The Energy Industries Council (EIC) is one of the world’s largest energy trade associations. As a not-for-profit organisation, it supports more than 950 member companies involved in the global energy value chain. EIC operates internationally, with offices in London, Kuala Lumpur, Rio de Janeiro, Houston, Dubai, and soon, Berlin.It is energy agnostic, supporting all parts of the energy sector. From mature renewable onshore and offshore sectors like wind, solar and hydropower; to grid infrastructure and large nuclear; to hydrocarbon sectors like oil & gas, LNG, FPSO, decommissioning, upstream, midstream and downstream; to emerging low-carbon sectors like hydrogen, carbon capture, CCUS, energy storage, BESS, biofuels, SAF (sustainable aviation fuels), and geothermal.EIC provides a wide range of services, including access to global market intelligence, CAPEX and OPEX project data, consulting support, events, business development opportunities, and advocacy. It also facilitates connections with key decision-makers and policymakers in the energy sector worldwide.Stay Connected with EIC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about the EIC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore EIC membership ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about the Five Golden Rules for a Healthy Energy Supply Chain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn about EIC Consult⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Stuart Broadley about doing your own C-level EIC podcast at [email protected], engineered, and promoted by: Samara Bernardo, Lucas Almeida, João Otero, Isabella Costa, Laura Carvalho, and Clara Machado.