Five companies lined up for Scotland’s €1B subsea electricity network upgrade

February 17, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has selected five contract partners to help deliver future investment of up to £950 million (about €1.09 billion) in the Scottish subsea electricity network and support the multi-year framework to renew and upgrade subsea electricity links serving Scotland’s island communities.

The contract partners that will deliver investment on behalf of SSEN Distribution are Burntisland-based Briggs Marine, DOF Subsea UK and N-Sea, which both have bases in Aberdeen, and Enshore Subsea and Jan De Nul.

Specific projects will be allocated according to each contract partner’s specialisms and resources.

The framework will run for an initial period of five years, with the option of an extension for a further three years.

SSEN Distribution estimates that the framework investment will help support over 450 specialized jobs for every year the agreements are in place, meaning well over 3,500 fixed-term roles could be sustained by the overall program.

“Subsea connections are becoming ever-more important as Scotland’s island communities seek to invest in EV charging, heat pumps, and the decarbonisation of their industries. In addition to providing the networks fit for supporting this growth in the use of clean power, these framework agreements will also underpin the ambitions of islanders to generate, store, and export more renewable energy,” said Kevin Galbraith, SSEN Distribution’s Subsea Project Director (Large Capital Delivery).

“The agreements themselves will ensure delivery of this investment will be rolled out in a seamless, co-ordinated way, and this will provide both customers and supply chains with the certainty they’re looking for. This multi-year investment will also provide greater job security and new opportunities for employment in this growing sector.”