The deal is part of a broader £5.4bn ($7bn) supplier investment programme aimed at modernising the electricity network over the next decade.
The initiative fosters long-term collaborations with UK businesses to upgrade Scotland’s electricity infrastructure. It will boost capacity for new homes, businesses, and renewable energy projects while improving power distribution efficiency and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The projects are expected to create significant opportunities for local economies.
Nicola Connelly, CEO of SP Energy Networks, stated: “These strategic partnerships give suppliers the confidence to invest in themselves – growing their workforce, opening new offices across the country, and creating even greater opportunities for the UK. This is great news for the UK and Scottish supply chains, with every pound spent directly benefitting central and southern Scotland and its infrastructure for decades to come. These contracts are not just about infrastructure – they are about enabling a cleaner, greener Britain. We are proud to be leading the charge in helping deliver the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambition.”
The contracts cover the construction of new high-voltage substations and overhead lines, as well as design, engineering, and electrical works. These agreements, initially set for five years with a potential extension to ten, provide stability for suppliers to invest in skills and innovation. Morgan Sindall Infrastructure has been appointed as the sole contractor for substations and overhead lines on the Denny to Wishaw project.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks commented: “These SP Energy Networks partnerships take us a step closer to reaching clean power by 2030, in modernising the country’s outdated network to get more of clean power generated in Scotland to homes and businesses across the country. This is the clean power transition in action – investing in British supply chains that will bring skilled jobs and economic growth to communities in Scotland and beyond.”
This announcement builds on ScottishPower’s commitment to invest £24 billion in the UK by 2028. SP Energy Networks has submitted a five-year business plan for 2026–2031 to Ofgem, supporting the UK’s Clean Power 2030 objectives. Separately, in April 2025, Ofgem considered penalties for a joint venture between National Grid Electricity Transmission and SP Energy Networks due to delays in the Eastern Green Link 1 project. However, the focus remains on advancing Scotland’s energy infrastructure to meet future demands sustainably.
