Hunterston B nuclear power station in North Ayrshire has transferred ownership from EDF to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Today, Hunterston B nuclear power station in North Ayrshire has transferred ownership from EDF to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to be decommissioned by its subsidiary Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS).
Seven innovative projects to support small food and drink producers in parts of the Highlands and Islands have been awarded a total of £169,750 through the Small Producers Pilot Fund. Seven innovative projects to support small food and drink producers in parts of the Highlands and Islands have been awarded a total of £169,750 through the Small Producers Pilot Fund.
A new guide has been published (20 March 2026) to help growers who want to explore the potential for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in rural and island locations. CEA is the practice of growing crops in a controlled setting where factors like temperature, light, humidity, and nutrients can be carefully managed for optimal plant growth.
Office for Nuclear Regulation grant a site licence to Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) - major milestone that will enable the site's decommissioning. With exactly two weeks until Hunterston B becomes the UK's first Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) site to transfer into UK Government ownership, a major milestone that will enable the nuclear power station’s decommissioning has been achieved.
The Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Impact Women programme offers free support to help female-led businesses in Scotland grow. This is a 16-week programme that includes both in-person and online sessions.
Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in economic growth, innovation, and job creation. In Scotland, the landscape of new business creation has changed noticeably in recent years, particularly in relation to gender.
Following a successful pilot in 2025, Regional EDGE, the regional arm of Scottish EDGE, returned in 2026 to offer entrepreneurs from across the region the chance to pitch for a share of the £100,00 prize fund. Funds were allocated through a competitive process, which involved pitching to a panel of judges, and delivered in collaboration with Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE).
If you're looking for a financial partner that puts people before profit, Scotland's credit unions are one of the strongest choices you can make. They're ethical, community‑driven, and built to help you take control of your money and not the other way around.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is launching a UK‑wide training programme to support the development of project professionals across the nuclear sector. The One NDA Project Academy is an expansion of a programme initially launched at Sellafield in 2016.
Rachel Hunter reflects on the Highland Women Growth Summit, highlighting the challenges facing women in business, celebrating progress, and marking the launch of HIE Impact Women. I had an absolutely energising day at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness last Friday where over 100 women business leaders and policy makers gathered at the first ever Highland Women Growth Summit.
This free 6-week programme helps businesses in the Highlands and Islands understand the impact of climate change on their business and take steps to prepare for it. What does this involve? This free 6-week programme helps businesses in the Highlands and Islands understand the impact of climate change on their business and take steps to prepare for it.
HIE Impact Women will support 30 women leaders from businesses and social enterprises that have an annual turnover of at least £25,000. Women in leadership roles in businesses across the Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to apply for a fully funded development programme aimed at boosting growth, enhancing leadership capability and building strong support networks across the region.
In this blog, Iain Hamilton, HIE's Head of Creative Industries, explains how digital storytelling is redefining the future of Gaelic culture and why embracing new platforms is vital for the Highlands and Islands. Culture has always been one of the Highlands and Islands' biggest strengths.
Gaelic plays a significant role across the Highlands and Islands, contributing to community resilience, cultural development and sustainable economic growth. Having a powerful social, cultural and economic role in the Highlands and Islands, its value to local people and businesses has never felt stronger.
NDA publishes latest strategy setting out long term roadmap for the safe and secure decommissioning of the UK's legacy nuclear sites. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has published its latest strategy, setting out its long term roadmap for the safe and secure decommissioning of the UK's legacy nuclear sites.
The Scottish Parliament's Public Audit Committee has released its latest report on the Cairngorm Funicular Railway, offering one of the most detailed examinations yet of the project's troubled history, escalating costs, and long‑term prospects. The funicular, which has become both a symbol of Highland tourism and a lightning rod for criticism, is once again under scrutiny and not only for its engineering failures but for the governance and financial decisions that shaped its past and will determine its future.
From robots to real business impact: April Conroy, HIE development manager for life sciences and the blue economy, reflects on WAICF and what human centred AI means for businesses. ust over a week ago, I was at the World AI Cannes Festival (WAICF) alongside a delegation of 25 Scottish business leaders, as part of the Scottish Government's National AI Adoption Programme.
As council tax rises once again loom across Scotland, the familiar warnings are rolled out: there is no alternative. Councils, we are told, must either raise taxes or cut services.
Primary school pupils in Caithness and Sutherland will have the chance to dive into engaging science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activities, thanks to a new funding agreement from NRS Dounreay. The three-year commitment will enable the Science Skills Academy (SSA) to deliver practical STEM learning at the Newton Room in Thurso, helping young people aged 10-14 explore how STEM connects to real-world applications.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands have continued to perform well over the past six months despite having experienced significant challenges. This is according to the latest business survey commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).