UK, Scotland: M Group has been awarded a $148 M (£110 M) contract to replace more than 70 km of overhead line on SP Energy Networks’ Strathaven–Smeaton route.
The Hertfordshire-based contractor will fully refurbish the 400 kV transmission line, one of the main electricity corridors between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Built in the 1960s, the route will receive new key components and almost one million metres of high-capacity conductor.
The contract forms part of SP Energy Networks’ $7.3 B (£5.4 B) transmission framework, established to support a $16 B (£12 B) investment programme. The framework includes up to $4 B (£3 B) for overhead lines and $3.2 B (£2.4 B) for new and upgraded substations.
“This contract award to M Group is representative of the kind of economic growth being generated by our £12 billion investment,” said Guy Jefferson, Transmission Managing Director at SP Energy Networks.
David Maddocks, Managing Director for Overhead Lines at M Group, said the company would replace equipment installed in the 1960s and deploy advanced high-capacity technology to support future demand. He added that the project would secure skilled jobs, support local employment and help deliver infrastructure that will underpin the energy network for years to come.
SP Energy Networks said its work with ScottishPower will help create 1,000 new jobs, alongside tens of thousands of additional opportunities across the supply chain.
ScottishPower plans to invest $32 B (£24B) in UK energy infrastructure by 2028, while SP Energy Networks operates more than 4,500 km of overhead lines, 600 km of underground cables and over 150 substations across central and southern Scotland.
Source: Britih Business Excellence Awards
