£110m investment in Scotland’s grid
UK companies continue to see a contract boom from Britain’s biggest rewiring since electrification.
The latest investment sees energy infrastructure specialists M Group being awarded a £110m contract to deliver vital overhead line upgrades across central and southern Scotland.
The Hertfordshire based company will replace over 70 km of overhead line on our strategic Strathaven to Smeaton route (VSRE), which runs from South Lanarkshire to East Lothian. This overhead line is one of the main power corridors between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The work will help increase Britain’s capacity to move power around the country, strengthen the local network for communities and increase energy security whilst supporting investment in new supply chain jobs and facilities.
We are investing £24bn in the UK to 2028 as we push ahead on the biggest rewiring the country has seen since electrification. Britain’s electricity grid is being reinforced and expanded to support future demand, connect more homes and businesses and reduce constraints on the grid.
UK Government, Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks said: “This investment is just one example of the ongoing work to upgrade our electricity grid, which is essential to power homes and businesses with clean, secure energy we control.
“It is also an enormous economic opportunity - boosting supply chains here in the UK and providing jobs and investment in communities right across the country.”
Guy Jefferson, Transmission Managing Director at SP Energy Networks said: “This contract award to M Group is representative of the kind of economic growth being generated by our £12 billion investment in upgrading the electricity transmission infrastructure in central and southern Scotland.
“We’re committed to maximising the opportunities for suppliers up and down the country, modernising the transmission network whilst unlocking growth and supporting more highly skilled, high-quality jobs.
“The work to replace the Strathaven to Smeaton overhead line is just one example of how we’re turbo charging investment and driving supplier confidence; we look forward to confirming more positive supply chain stories as we move through our investment programme.”
David Maddocks, Managing Director - Overhead Lines, M Group said: “We’re delighted to play a central role in delivering this crucial upgrade to one of Scotland’s most important electricity corridors. Our highly skilled teams will fully refurbish the 400kV Strathaven to Smeaton overhead line, replacing components first installed in the 1960s and deploying advanced high-capacity technology to support future demand.
“Delivering this work with SP Energy Networks not only secures skilled jobs for our people and supports local employment, but also highlights our commitment to safe, efficient delivery on a project that will underpin the energy network for years to come.” Internal Use
The works entail the complete refurbishment of the 400kV Overhead line. The current line was constructed in the 1960s and all the key components are being replaced, with almost one million meters of high-capacity conductor being installed.
The M Group contract award is part of SP Energy Networks’ £5.4bn transmission framework where 19 companies were selected as preferred partners to help deliver a £12bn transmission investment programme.
The work will help us create 1000 new jobs and deliver tens of thousands more in the supply chain.
Of the 19 contractors, 17 are headquartered in the UK and Ireland, demonstrating SP Energy Networks’ commitment to developing the country’s wider supply chain.
The strategic partnership will run for an initial five years, with the option to extend up to ten, giving businesses the long-term confidence and security to in-turn invest in their own staff, equipment, technology and services over the period.
The agreement includes up to £3bn on new overhead lines and £2.4bn on new and upgraded substations, including design, engineering, construction, and electrical works.
Our business, SP Energy Networks, owns and operates the transmission network for central and southern Scotland with more than 4,500km of overhead electricity lines, 600 km of underground cables and over 150 substations to transport high voltage power across the region. It also operates undersea high voltage cables and is constructing two new underwater superhighways off the east coast of Britain. It was given the green light on its five-year business plan for the period 2026 to 2031 by the energy regulator, Ofgem.
