A power firm has announced a multimillion-pound investment in the subsea cable network serving Scotland’s islands, in a move expected to create “thousands of high-quality green jobs”.

SSEN Distribution is set to upgrade its network of 113 subsea electricity cables, which provide power to 60 islands, saying it will improve resilience and increasing capacity to meet growing demand.

The work is set to support more than 450 specialised jobs each year for up to eight years – which the company said equates to or more than 3,500 fixed-term roles in and around installation sites and at company bases.

SSEN said the investment – worth up to £950 million – will enable islanders to connect new technologies like electric vehicle (EV) chargers, solar panels and heat pumps to the network.

It is also expected to benefit local energy generators looking to produce and export green power, and to support the decarbonisation of island-based industries such as distilleries.

The announcement was welcomed by Energy Secretary Gillian Martin, who said it would help the country achieve its net zero target.

“This welcome investment by SSEN Distribution will help upgrade the subsea network serving Scotland’s islands, improving its resilience and supporting Scotland’s net zero ambitions,” she said.

“It will also support thousands of high-quality green jobs and drive new growth across the local, regional and national economies as part of our net zero transformation.”

Kevin Galbraith, SSEN Distribution’s subsea project director (large capital delivery), said: “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.”

The work of upgrading the network will be delivered by five “contract partner” companies, with a “strong focus” on using locally-based supply chains.

The firms are Burntisland-based Briggs Marine; DOF Subsea UK and N-Sea, both of which 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.

SSEN said working with multiple companies will enable multiple subsea cables to be upgraded at the same time during the relatively narrow summer window, when weather conditions are more favourable.

Mr Galbraith went on: “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.”