UK utility company Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) has acquired Slough Heat and Power from SEGRO for just over £49 million. It follows that around 140 employees will join the enlarged group.

SSE, supplier of Scottish Hydro Electric, Southern Electric, SWALEC and Atlantic, is involved in the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity; energy trading; the storage, distribution and supply of gas; electrical and utility contracting; and telecoms.

Slough Heat and Power, an integrated energy business, has a combined heat and power (CHP) plant that currently ranks as the UK’s largest dedicated biomass energy facility. The plant is mainly fuelled by wood chips, biomass and waste paper.

SSE chief executive Ian Marchant said: “As well as reinforcing our position as the UK’s leading generator of electricity from renewable sources, this will give us a platform from which to build up our interests in biomass and waste-to-energy, areas which we believe will become increasingly important over the next decade.

According to figures released by Datamonitor Market Share Monitor, SSE has overtaken EON UK to become the UK’s second largest supplier of electricity and gas.