Perth-based energy group SSE this morning revealed that profits for the first half of this financial year had more than trebled.
The adjusted profits for the six months to September 30 reached £559.4million, compared to £174.2million for the same period a year ago.
Chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said the company's net-zero acceleration programme had never been more relevant to society.
He added: "We are investing around £12.5billion in the five years to March 2026, with further opportunities that could take the total to over £25billion this decade in the UK and Ireland alone.
"This direct investment primarily in offshore wind, UK electricity networks and flexible thermal will create the technologies to support long-term energy security.
"Over the past six months, we have been delivering on our domestic investment programme at pace whilst increasing our pipeline diversity, through exporting our renewables expertise into selected markets overseas where net-zero ambitions have also increased.
Organic growth potential
"This has been complemented by our Triton acquisition and organic growth potential in networks as they keep pace with increasingly-ambitious government policy.
"The strength and optionality of our resilient mix of market-based and regulated businesses have shone through in this period, with recent trading conditions highlighting the true value to society of a portfolio that balances intermittent renewables with flexible generation when the system needs it most.
"Our business model and strategy are delivering for our stakeholders today, whilst creating future long-term societal value."
SSE said it recognised the social impact of an energy-linked cost-of-living crisis and, while government has rightly taken responsibility for providing short-term support to bill-payers, industry must invest - and have the right conditions to invest - in creating a long-term pathway out of the current difficulties.
By SSE's own estimates, if the system investment required to meet 2030 electricity targets had been made by 2022, Britain would have saved around £30billion on gas expenditure this year.
The group added: "The cheaper energy is coming. We just need the infrastructure; and SSE is building it at pace."
Triton deal
At the end of June, SSE Thermal said it and Equinor were acquiring Triton Power Holdings from Energy Capital Partners for £341million.
SSE said this represented another step forward for the two companies' existing collaboration, supporting the long-term decarbonisation of the UK's power system whilst contributing to security of supply and grid stability through flexible power generation in the shorter term.
Tritoton operates Saltend Power Station, a combined-cycle gas turbine and combined heat & power facility in East Yorkshire.
Saltend is a potential primary offtaker to Equinor's H2H Saltend hydrogen production project.
H2H Saltend is expected to kick-start the wider decarbonisation of the Humber region as part of the East Coast Cluster, one of the UK's first carbon capture, usage and storage clusters.