The CEO of ScottishPower’s transmission business SP Energy Networks has welcomed the launch of a new industry plan that sets out “how the biggest grid upgrade in living memory will boost jobs and growth across the UK.”

The Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan – led by the Energy Networks Association (ENA) and BEAMA, with input from network operators and supply chain partners as well as the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Ofgem – sets out the impact of planned investment over the next 10 years.

The plan said the sector is on track to deliver £58 billion in UK growth and support more than 200,000 jobs by 2035.

SP Energy Networks said it is currently investing a record £12 billion in its transmission network through to 2031, creating 1,400 direct jobs and supporting more than 11,000 in the supply chain.

The company is also working on its next distribution network investment plan, which will be the most ambitious in its history, covering its three licence areas from Stirling in central Scotland to Stockport in the north-west of England.

ScottishPower is owned by Basque energy giant Iberdrola.

SP Energy Networks Nicola Connelly said: “Electricity networks are critical to the economic success of not just our country, but our regions and local communities too.

“This plan unequivocally confirms what we have been saying for a long time – that investment in our grid delivers jobs, opportunities and prosperity.

“We’re investing at a scale never seen before as we grow the grid to support the doubling of electricity demand that we expect over the next 25 years, and with that pace and purpose comes unprecedented opportunities for people and businesses right across our patch.

“That means apprenticeships for young people straight from school, skilled jobs for those who want to be part of the energy transition and thriving order books for businesses – everything our communities have been crying out for.

“This is the reality, and the bigger success story, around why building out the grid matters. It’s not just powering the energy transition – it’s also about being an engine for economic growth and prosperity.

“With the sector punching above its weight and industry, government and the regulator all pulling in the same direction, together we will deliver a brighter and better future, quicker.”