ScottishPower could create more than 2500 jobs after revealing plans for a £5.2billion upgrade of the UK’s power distribution grid.
The investment programme would see the grid being upgraded in central Scotland, Merseyside and Wales between 2015 and 2023.
The project, which has been submitted to energy industry regulator Ofgem today, would create 2500 jobs on top of the 1500 already set to be created on the back of existing investment plans.
“We have a unique opportunity to completely modernise our infrastructure and create a blueprint to support growth for generations to come,” said ScottishPower chief executive Frank Mitchell.
“Through high levels of maintenance, we currently have reliability on average of more than 99 percent. However, to keep driving improvements and deliver more advanced and smarter infrastructure, which will bring real benefits for customers, we need to invest significantly in our network.
“This £5.2billion investment will create thousands of highly skilled jobs, as we will need a new generation of engineers and technicians to deliver the upgrades.
“We have already started recruiting and we are also investing in partnerships with educational establishments to encourage more people to benefit from the opportunities in our industry.”
ScottishPower currently manages 105,000km of power cables and 30,000 substations in the areas targeted for improvement, many of which were originally installed between the 1950’s and 1970’s, and are approaching the end of their operation lives.
It will also undertake reinforcement work earlier than planned to install new technology and reduce carbon levels.
“By utilising new technology, we can deliver an even more robust network that improves efficiency, results in fewer and shorter interruptions and supports the generation of low carbon electricity,” said Mitchell.
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