ScottishPower's emission reduction programme has helped gain the company equal first place in an annual survey of environmental performance of UK businesses by the Business in the Environment organisation.

This is ScottishPower's best result since the index began six years ago and improves on last year's second spot.

The Index of Corporate Environmental Engagement, announced tomorrow (Tuesday) in London, provides a benchmark of environmental responsibility and is a guide for analysts and fund managers advising on ethical investment.

ScottishPower was rated highly on its investment on clean coal technology , which includes a £20 million programme at its Longannet Power Station. This has considerably reduced emissions of acid rain gases and gained the company a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category.

The company has also announced it is to construct a further 1000 MW of renewable energy plant in the UK and the US over the next three years.

Charles Berry, ScottishPower Executive Director, said he was delighted with the company's top placing, which he said was recognition of its treatment of the environment as a mainstream business issue.

"ScottishPower is a leader in its work to promote energy efficiency to help businesses and to fight fuel poverty, enabling disadvantaged customers to benefit from the competitive energy market.

"We are one of Europe's biggest windfarmer developers and by expanding our renewable energy portfolio we are helping business customers and the government meet green energy and emission targets set under the Climate Change Levy.

"In addition, measures at our conventional power stations, such as the introduction of clean coal technology, and investment in new gas-fired generation, means we have been able to develop our generation business, continue a commitment to coal and meet our targets on emissions", he added.

Further Information:

ScottishPower Press Office         Gordon Laidlaw           0141 248 8200