The awards are the first round of a wider £5.4bn investment programme over the next decade to upgrade the national electricity grid.

The contracts cover a wide range of critical infrastructure, including:

• New and upgraded high-voltage substations
• Overhead line construction
• Design, engineering, construction, and electrical works

The deals will initially run for five years, with the option to extend to 10, for the 19 wining suppliers.

Among them is Morgan Sindall Infrastructure who are the sole contractor for both substation and overhead lines on the Denny to Wishaw project.

Simon Smith, Managing Director, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, said: “Projects like the Denny to Wishaw Network Optimisation (DWNO) will improve resilience and energy security, boost capacity to meet future demand, and connect Scotland to greener, renewable energy.

“In upgrading the transmission network, we will be able to bring skills and employment to the central belt, and leave a lasting legacy in the local communities.”

The winning firms are:

Preferred partners to the Strategic Agreement for Transmission Overhead Line Works:

• Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions.
• Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios.
• Aureos Energy.
• Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure.
• Morrison Energy Services (Transmission Networks).
• Painhas.
• Power Lines, Pipes and Cables.
• Wood Transmission And Distribution.

Preferred partners to the Strategic Agreement for Substation Works:

• Adman Civil Projects.
• Amalgamated Construction.
• George Leslie.
• I&H Brown.
• Aureos Energy.
• Kirby Group Engineering (UK).
• Linxon UK.
• Luddon Construction.
• Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure.
• Morrison Energy Services (Transmission Networks).
• Northstone (NI).
• Painhas.
• R.J. McLeod (Contractors).
• Siemens Energy.
• UK Grid Solutions.