ScottishPower has announced the creation of "at least" 1,000 new jobs as it launches its biggest ever recruitment drive.

The announcement follows a record number of green energy infrastructure projects secured by the company in the first half of 2022.

The projects, all integral to delivering the UK's ambitious Net Zero Targets, include:

• Securing contracts for a record 16 renewable energy projects – offshore, onshore and solar – across the UK in the Allocation Round 4 process. Totalling 2.1 GW, these projects will almost double the company's green energy generation capacity, spurring investment of up to £4bn.

• Earlier this month, the ESO's Holistic Network Design plan set out the need for £5bn of investment in 12 SP Energy Networks onshore transmission projects that will be essential for delivering the UK's 2030 offshore wind targets.

• In June, Ofgem published its Draft Determination for a £3bn upgrade for SP Energy Networks distribution network as part of the ED2 price control. This forms the basis for preparing the electricity network to connect renewable energy and the electrification of transport and heat.

• In January, ScottishPower was a big winner in the ScotWind auction, with seabed rights awarded for three offshore projects with total capacity of 7GW – two large-scale floating projects in partnership with Shell and one solo fixed project. Taken together, these projects treble ScottishPower's offshore wind pipeline to more than 10GW and boost its position in UK's offshore wind market.

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Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, said: "The future of energy in the UK has become a critical issue. Our climate change ambitions, the importance of energy sovereignty and the cost-of-living crisis all point to a need for speed in delivering more green, more secure and more affordable energy.

"These three critical needs are not in conflict with each other and, given our unique position in the UK as the only integrated energy company investing in renewables, electricity grids and helping homes to decarbonise, ScottishPower is an engine for growth across the communities we serve.

"The momentum of the first six months of 2022 and our record of achievement now gives us our biggest ever investment pipeline of green energy assets to help deliver the Government's energy strategy and net zero for the UK.

"As a direct result, we now need at least 1,000 people to join us in new positions over the next twelve months to design, build and operate this green energy infrastructure and that's why today, we're issuing our biggest ever call for green recruits right across the country to fulfil our ambitions."

These roles will be directly employed across all areas of ScottishPower's businesses and at all stages, from trainees to time served trades and supporting roles. The UK supply chain will also see a further boost and potentially thousands more indirect jobs created as the company's billions of pounds worth of projects advance at pace.

COP26 President Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP said: "I welcome the announcement from ScottishPower that it is launching its biggest ever recruitment drive in green jobs, with at least 1000 jobs to be filled in the next 12 months.

"In November 2020 the UK Government launched the Green Jobs Taskforce to support the creation of 2 million skilled jobs to build back greener from the Covid-19 pandemic, and reach net zero emissions by 2050.

"Long term, good quality green jobs are crucial for the UK's economic recovery and tackling climate change. This green jobs push will help set the direction for the market as we transition to a high skill, low carbon economy."