Energy firm, SSE, has reported a near doubling of its annual profits compared with the year before.

Soaring energy market prices led to a boom for the company's fossil fuel power plants, as reported by The Guardian.

Adjusted pre-tax profits hit £2.18bn for the 12 months to March 31, up from almost £1.16bn the year before.

Earnings from SSE's gas-fired power plants almost quadrupled to £1.24bn for the year, up from £331.1m the year before.

Playing down its huge profits in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, SSE said it had invested £2.8bn in low-carbon electricity infrastructure, which had helped deliver £6bn to the UK's GDP and supported nearly 40,000 UK jobs.

The company said it had made "profits with a purpose", which would accelerate plans to invest in renewable energy and reinforce the UK's electricity grid to help speed up the UK's climate agenda.

SSE, which runs gas-fired power stations, alongside hydroelectric plants, wind farms and an electricity transmission business, said it would increase its five-year investment plan to 2027 by 40% to £18bn.

The new plan is set to deliver a 50% increase in spending for its regulated electricity networks, a 40% increase for its renewable electricity generation and a 10% increase for low-carbon flexible thermal generation and other businesses.