Keltbray Energy, Balfour Beatty and RJ McLeod are among 19 firms named preferred partners by Scottish Power for a £5.4bn upgrade of its electricity network.

The deal includes spending up to £3bn on new overhead lines and £2.4bn on new and upgraded substations, including design, engineering, construction and electrical works.

The work for Scottish Power subsidiary SP Energy Networks will run for five years with an option to extend it to 10.

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The programme will include spending £3bn on new overhead lines

Others on the deal include Morgan Sindall, I&H Brown and Morrison Energy Services.

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 to transport high voltage power across the region.

Last month, Scottish Power’s Spanish owner said it would double its investment in UK green energy projects. Iberdrola added it would spend up to £24bn over the next four years.