ScottishPower is investing a record £10bn in Scotland as it embarks on a major electricity grid upgrade – and has opened a new office in Edinburgh to support its ambitious growth plans.
Last week the energy firm’s parent company, Iberdrola, unveiled a transformational €58bn strategic plan and named the UK as its number one destination for investment.
As the Global Investment Summit kicks off in Edinburgh this week, the company has confirmed its economic boost will add 300 more new recruits in the final three months of 2025 alone and create another 2000 jobs through 2027 – 80% in Scotland.
To support its growth, First Minister John Swinney joined Keith Anderson, chief executive of ScottishPower, to open its brand-new Edinburgh Park office for its SP Energy Networks business. It will be home to its electricity transmission teams including those building major subsea links off the east and west coasts of Scotland.
Swinney said: “ScottishPower’s investment in Scotland will drive economic growth and support thousands of high-quality, sustainable jobs – many of them based at their fantastic new Edinburgh Park base.
“As the Global Investment Summit gets underway in Edinburgh, ScottishPower are setting a shining example of how the transition to green energy can create real financial opportunity – helping benefit businesses and Scotland’s economy.”
ScottishPower chief executive Keith Anderson said: “Engineering was practically born in Scotland, is a major Scottish success story and we’re proud to be at the helm building the next tranche of critical infrastructure to power economic growth.
“The grid is the energy backbone and with demand rapidly increasing we need to reinforce and build more of it. Our investment commitments are about more than just infrastructure, we’re creating high-quality, long-term jobs both in our company and right across the supply chain.
“Alongside our Glasgow HQ, and depots up and down the country, our new Edinburgh office gives us an additional base as we recruit faster than we’ve ever done before to support our ambitious growth plans.”
The First Minister joined Anderson and SP Energy Networks chief executive Nicola Connelly to meet with apprentices and new recruits, including new-starts who have joined from Ineos after being made redundant when the refinery closed earlier this year.
They will be working on the underwater electrical superhighways the company’s SP Energy Networks business is constructing, including Eastern Green Link 1 and 4, as well as its onshore electricity network project builds and upgrades across central and southern Scotland.
Connelly said: “This is a pivotal moment for the grid as we embark on the biggest build-out in almost a century. From subsea cables to overhead lines and underground wires, we are upgrading and investing in Scottish infrastructure to support growth.
“That also means growth in our people and supply chain which is great news for the economic future of our country.”
Some parts of Scotland’s electricity grid are almost 100 years old. Earlier this year, SP Energy Networks felled the oldest transmission line in Scotland as it continues its multi-billion-pound upgrades to deliver more grid capacity for clean power, heating, homes, transport and industry.
It is working in partnership with National Grid Electricity Transmission on the new subsea cables and both companies will use the newly opened Edinburgh Park as a base for their teams delivering those works.
Picture: SP Energy Networks CEO Nicola Connelly, First Minster John Swinney and ScottishPower CEO Keith Anderson with SP Energy Networks apprentices and graduates