ENERGY group Scottish Power, which owns Merseyside electricity supplier Manweb, has lifted third quarter profits by pounds 6m.
The company also revealed UK customer numbers had hit 4m for the first time.
The Glasgow-based group, which operates power networks as well as supplying energy services, said it had enjoyed a good third quarter – helping profits for the nine months to December 31 to rise 14pc to pounds 553m.
The figure for the three months rose to pounds 258m from pounds 252m.
The nine-month performance featured a pounds 230m improvement in turnover to pounds 4.05bn following favourable trading conditions in its core United States business and higher retail gas and electricity revenues in the UK.
A spokeswoman told the Daily Post that, on Merseyside, the company was spending about pounds 10m on strategic improvements to the electricity network.
8 BRITISH Energy shares more than doubled despite assurances from the electricity generator that it had no explanation for the increase. The surge gathered pace after the announcement, leaving the financially stricken group as much as 64pc or 5.09p higher at 13p.
The latest movement came on the same day as reports said a US hedge fund had been buying shares in the company.
