Why £11 billion Scottish grid upgrade could spark 1,000 jobs for at-risk Grangemouth workers

Workers facing redundancy at Grangemouth oil refinery have the “sought-after skills” needed to upgrade Scotland’s electricity grid, an energy firm has said.

ScottishPower said it planned to recruit 1,000 people next year as part of a “massive” investment in the country’s power networks and has called on at-risk workers at the refinery to consider a “career switch” into the sector.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Grangemouth oil refinery – which is run as a joint venture between Ineos and PetroChina – will close in the second quarter of 2025 with the loss of 400 jobs.

Workers facing redundancy at Grangemouth oil refinery have the “sought-after skills” needed to upgrade Scotland’s electricity grid, an energy firm has said. | Jane Barlow / PA / Canva

ScottishPower said it was extending the same invitation to workers at construction giant ISG, which made the majority of its 2,400 employees redundant when it went into administration in September.

It said there was a “clear skills crossover” with workers at both firms and that it could help people find new careers in its electricity networks as it ramps up investment.

Sarah McNulty, people and organisation director at ScottishPower, said: “The massive investment in electricity networks is not just good for modernising critical Scottish infrastructure but for jobs too.

“This is one of our largest-ever recruitment programmes and one of the largest in Scotland. Workers at both Ineos and ISG will have the sought-after skills we are looking for and we have the jobs to match.

“We’re also more than happy to look at how we help people make the move into power networks from oil and gas if they’re looking for a career switch, so anyone interested should get in touch.

“These are skilled, secure and well-paid roles that will offer a long-term career helping build, operate and maintain the electricity network across central southern Scotland, and we also have roles across our renewables business too.

“We recognise it’s a concerning time for people whose livelihoods are affected and that’s why we’ve reached out to the HR teams at both companies to flag our opportunities and help get them into new roles as quickly as possible.”

In September, ScottishPower announced it was doubling its UK investment to £24 billion – with £11 billion to be spent in Scotland – as grid owners upgrade and build new power lines to cope with demand and increase capacity.

Unite the Union, representing workers at Grangemouth, did not respond directly to ScottishPower’s statement.

Unions demand action to prevent ‘corporate decapitation’ of Grangemouth

Unite the Union general secretary Sharon Graham has previously warned the UK and Scottish governments about the threat of deindustrialisation and called on elected officials to prevent the “industrial vandalism” and “corporate decapitation” of Grangemouth.

Last week, workers and union members marched along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh down to Holyrood for a rally calling for the site to be saved.

Petroineos has said it cannot continue supporting Grangemouth, which it has said is losing up to £385,000 a day and is older and smaller than other refineries across the world.

Gillian Martin, the acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary in the Scottish Government, has said they would consider Unite’s proposals “carefully”.