SCOTTISHPOWER RENEWABLES: Building Wind’s Place as the Backbone

Wind is no longer the supporting act in Britain’s energy system, it is increasingly the headline. In March 2026, National Energy System Operator data confirmed a new British wind generation record of 23,880 megawatts, enough to power 23 million homes, beating the previous high set only months earlier. During that record period, wind supplied more than half of Britain’s electricity, while gas generation fell to its lowest level in almost two years, providing just 2.3% of the mix, with industry commentators saying that this is what the energy transition looks like in practice. 

Few companies embody that shift as clearly as ScottishPower Renewables. Part of the wider ScottishPower group and the Iberdrola Group, the business operates more than 40 windfarm sites across the UK, producing over 3,000MW of clean power. It is also the company behind East Anglia THREE, its biggest windfarm yet, currently taking shape in the southern North Sea. Across every part of its business, SPR is making a clear, direct case that renewables can be built quickly, safely and at scale, while anchoring investment firmly in the UK supply chain.

That commitment was underlined in July 2026, when ScottishPower awarded a record £102.9 million in onshore windfarm operations and maintenance contracts to four companies spanning Scotland, Northern Ireland and beyond. Among them was Gael Energy, a new supplier based in Invergordon in the Highlands. Its founder and managing director, Hamish Campbell, said the business was delighted to be supporting another renewable project in the region. “As a business headquartered in the heart of the Highlands, we’ve always believed that having a strong local presence is fundamental to the way we operate. Being close to our customers allows us to respond quickly, build lasting relationships, and invest in the communities where we work.”

SPR’s Onshore Construction and Operations Director, Ross Galbraith, says that pattern of reinvestment is deliberate. “Transitioning the country to a cleaner, greener future has so many benefits beyond the environment, and our support for the supply chain throughout the UK is clear evidence of this. By continuing to invest in our assets, we are giving businesses in the supply chain the confidence to make their own investments, and that results in jobs and other benefits for local communities.”

UK SUPPLY CHAIN

The same logic runs through SPR’s offshore projects. In August 2026, RES was awarded the Safety from the System and Operational Control contract for East Anglia TWO, a deal expected to support 25 specialist jobs around Lowestoft and Ipswich. Michael Hotze, SPR’s EA TWO Project Execution Director, called it another example of how the company’s projects support economic growth. “As a trusted UK supply chain partner, this contract is another great example of how our projects are not only supporting a clean energy future, but boosting order books and helping drive economic growth.”

Manufacturing has followed a similar path. Fabrication of the East Anglia TWO offshore substation foundation, a 3,450 tonne steel jacket structure, is under way at Smulders’ yard on the banks of the River Tyne, backed by a contract worth more than £60 million. Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables Chief Executive, says the scale of investment speaks for itself. “Our actions speak volumes, with our offshore wind projects pumping almost £3.5 billion into UK companies while developing, building and operating our East Anglia windfarms.”

That investment extends onshore too. SPR has revealed initial designs for an £8 million operations base in Lowestoft’s PowerPark, a three storey, 5,000 square metre facility with capacity for around 100 people. Matt Wooltorton, Project Construction Manager, says the project reflects the wider ambition for the region. “As our East Anglia THREE windfarm starts to take shape in the southern North Sea, I look forward to seeing the same for our onshore base as we continue to work towards a cleaner and greener future for Lowestoft and the wider East Anglia region.”

EAST ANGLIA INVESTMENT

Nearby, a £10 million expansion of the port of Great Yarmouth, delivered with Peel Ports, will add a second heavy lift pad and larger crane capacity. Jordan notes that the investment builds on almost a decade of commitment to the area. “It also signals our continued commitment to the region, almost ten years on from supporting a £5 million investment in the port to enable the construction of our first project, East Anglia ONE, and solidifying Lowestoft as a permanent base for our offshore wind projects in the East of England.”

SPR is not only building new capacity either. At Whitelee, the largest onshore windfarm in Europe and, in Jordan’s words, the jewel in the UK’s renewables crown, the company is preparing to repower turbines that have supplied Greater Glasgow for almost two decades. “We want to build on the existing success of our windfarms before they reach the end of their natural lifespan, and we lose the benefit of their clean power capacity. Whitelee will set the repowering standard, unlocking the continued potential of existing infrastructure.” The plan also includes an opportunity for partial community ownership, alongside direct financial benefit for local communities.

EAST ANGLIA THREE

The clearest expression of SPR’s ambition remains East Anglia THREE. Developed in partnership with Masdar, the 1.4GW windfarm recently passed a major engineering milestone with the completion of its foundation installation, more than 200,000 tonnes of steel anchored into a seabed area roughly the size of 43,000 football pitches. Jordan describes the achievement: “You only have to look at the numbers to get a sense of what we’ve achieved so far. It’s mind-blowing. And there’s more to come as the installation of the 95 turbines, with huge 115-metre blades, crosses the halfway mark.” He adds that the project has already put almost £2 billion into the domestic supply chain, supporting thousands of construction jobs and around 100 permanent roles once operational.

The project has also delivered a UK first, with SPR completing the offshore lift of its first ever HVDC converter station. “Installing our first ever offshore HVDC converter station is testament to the hard work of our teams and suppliers to deliver such a complex feat of engineering,” Jordan says, adding that the milestone keeps the project on track for completion by the end of 2026.

Taken together, the contracts, the fabrication yards, the community investment and the engineering milestones tell a consistent story. As Britain’s grid leans ever further on wind, ScottishPower Renewables is proving that the transition need not be slow, imported or uncertain. Through East Anglia THREE and the wider portfolio behind it, the company is building both the clean power and the domestic industry to deliver it, with the East of England, and the UK as a whole, standing to benefit for decades to come.