UK firms are benefiting from Britain's largest grid overhaul since electrification, with energy infrastructure specialist M Group awarded a £110 million contract to deliver critical overhead line upgrades across central and southern Scotland.

The Hertfordshire-based company will replace more than 70 kilometres of overhead line on the strategic Strathaven to Smeaton route (VSRE), which runs from South Lanarkshire to East Lothian and is one of the main power corridors between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The project is designed to increase Britain's ability to move power around the country, reinforce local networks for communities and improve energy security, while underpinning investment in new supply chain jobs and facilities.

ScottishPower is investing £24 billion in the UK to 2028 to press ahead with the biggest national rewiring since electrification, reinforcing and expanding the grid to meet future demand, connect more homes and businesses and reduce constraints.

UK Government, Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks said: "This investment is just one example of the ongoing work to upgrade our electricity grid, which is essential to power homes and businesses with clean, secure energy we control.

"It is also an enormous economic opportunity - boosting supply chains here in the UK and providing jobs and investment in communities right across the country."

Guy Jefferson, Transmission Managing Director at SP Energy Networks said: "This contract award to M Group is representative of the kind of economic growth being generated by our £12 billion investment in upgrading the electricity transmission infrastructure in central and southern Scotland.

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"We're committed to maximising the opportunities for suppliers up and down the country, modernising the transmission network whilst unlocking growth and supporting more highly skilled, high-quality jobs.

"The work to replace the Strathaven to Smeaton overhead line is just one example of how we're turbo charging investment and driving supplier confidence; we look forward to confirming more positive supply chain stories as we move through our investment programme."

David Maddocks, Managing Director - Overhead Lines, M Group said: "We're delighted to play a central role in delivering this crucial upgrade to one of Scotland's most important electricity corridors. Our highly skilled teams will fully refurbish the 400kV Strathaven to Smeaton overhead line, replacing components first installed in the 1960s and deploying advanced high-capacity technology to support future demand.

"Delivering this work with SP Energy Networks not only secures skilled jobs for our people and supports local employment, but also highlights our commitment to safe, efficient delivery on a project that will underpin the energy network for years to come."

The works involve a full refurbishment of the 400kV overhead line, replacing key components installed in the 1960s and installing almost one million metres of high-capacity conductor.

The M Group award sits within SP Energy Networks' £5.4 billion transmission framework, under which 19 companies have been chosen as preferred partners to help deliver a £12 billion transmission investment programme. SP Energy Networks expects the programme to create 1,000 new jobs and tens of thousands more across the supply chain. Seventeen of the 19 contractors are headquartered in the UK and Ireland, reflecting a commitment to building domestic capability.

The strategic partnership will run for an initial five years, with options to extend up to ten, providing long-term certainty for businesses to invest in staff, equipment, technology and services. It includes up to £3 billion for new overhead lines and £2.4 billion for new and upgraded substations covering design, engineering, construction and electrical works.

SP Energy Networks owns and operates the transmission network for central and southern Scotland, with more than 4,500 km of overhead electricity lines, 600 km of underground cables and over 150 substations, as well as undersea high-voltage cables. It is also building two new underwater electricity "superhighways" off Britain's east coast. Ofgem has approved SP Energy Networks' five-year business plan for 2026–2031.