ScottishPower today announced a 10-year gas supply agreement with Norway's Statoil providing enough gas to meet the annual needs of 250,000 homes.

The deal, totalling 500 million cubic metres a year, helps ensure security of supply to ScottishPower's 1.8 million domestic gas customers. It also provides an attractive route to market for Statoil's Norwegian Continental Shelf production imported into the UK through a new pipeline under the North Sea.

John Campbell, ScottishPower's Director Energy Wholesale, said: "ScottishPower is delighted to have signed this deal with such an important European gas producer to help support the continued stability and security of supply for our gas customers. We remain committed to diversifying our gas sources as UK supplies continue to decline."

Information: Simon McMillan 0141 566 4875