How Shenton Group protects the UK’s most critical operations
When the lights go out, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Hospitals, data centres, water utilities, defence sites, prisons – these are places where power isn’t optional, but critical. As the UK’s leading technical experts in standby power, uninterruptable power supplies, and combined heat and power systems, Shenton Group has been the name behind that certainty for more than four decades. Growing from humble beginnings to national leadership, Shenton Group provides trusted power solutions to public and private organisations. From feasibility and design advice to integration and commissioning, it supplies, installs, and maintains all aspects of standby power, including generators, combined heat and power systems, generator rental and 24/7 maintenance and monitoring.
“We don’t just deliver power; we deliver certainty,” begins Curtis Meek, Chief Executive Officer of Shenton Group. “‘Reliable power: no downtime, no crisis’ is not just a tagline – it’s the standard that we live by.
“My father, Richard Meek, started the business with nothing more than a van, supplying gas bottles to pubs and restaurants, but his entrepreneurial spirit and fascination with engines soon led him into the generator business,” Curtis says, reflecting on Shenton Group’s heritage. “By the 1980s, the business – then known as Scorpion Power – alongside its dedicated service arm Merlin Power Management, had earned a reputation for enduring quality and reliability in the generator market. Even today, people still come looking for Scorpion Power – that’s how strong our legacy is,” Curtis notes.
Safety, certainty and continuity
When the businesses united under the Shenton Group name, its mission remained the same: to deliver dependable power solutions to the UK’s most critical operations. Fast forward to today, and Shenton Group is known as the UK’s leading technical expert in standby power, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. For Curtis, however, Shenton Group’s capabilities provide more than just equipment.
“Our systems do more than keep the lights on – they protect operations, safeguard people, and prevent costly downtime,” he elaborates. “For businesses, that means continuity: no interruptions to production, no risk to data, and no disruption to essential services. For people, it means safety and certainty, whether that’s a hospital theatre, a data centre, or a control room managing utilities. We collaborate directly with end users, consultants, facilities management companies, and mechanical and electrical engineers to deliver bespoke solutions tailored to each client’s needs and every critical sector.”
Complexity without compromise
Over the decades, Shenton Group’s reputation has been built on engineering excellence in action and delivering complex projects without compromise. Curtis shares insight into some of the company’s latest projects.
“At Homerton Hospital, we craned two 1650kVA generators over the building to overcome site constraints,” he says. “The generators are designed to deliver a very low noise level to meet strict HTM specifications and have integrated SCR technology to cut NOx emissions. We also completed an infrastructure project at Cardiff Pumping Station, where we replaced four outdated generators with three 1400kVA MTU units housed in custom acoustic containers. This project was carefully designed to eliminate reliance on rental generators, which saved the organisation £250,000. The solution fully complies with WIMES standards and ensures resilience for essential water services.
“Similarly, at Lidl’s distribution centre, we managed the full turnkey process from design and manufacture to installation, testing, and training. We installed two 1950kVA standby generators in bespoke acoustic containers, with a 39,000-litre fuel tank for 60 hours’ run time. At Liverpool Telecoms Centre, we installed three 2000kVA generators, UPS systems, switchgear, and AMF panels – all while maintaining uninterrupted power using six 1250kVA rental generators.”
Sustainable solutions
On top of exceptional project delivery, sustainability remains one of Shenton’s core principles. For Shenton Group, sustainability isn’t just a checkbox: it’s a commitment. The company champions alternative fuels such as HVO, whilst pairing generators with battery storage and using advanced telemetry for real-time optimisation. Around 80 percent of its generators are also recyclable, supporting a circular economy wherever possible.
“We maximise CHP efficiency to help clients generate greener electricity and reuse heat,” Curtis explains. “We’re upgrading our generator rental fleet to stage V emission-compliant engines and exploring hybrid generators with batteries and solar integration. We retrofit SCR systems to cut emissions and provide maintenance that extends equipment life, reducing cost and waste.
“Many clients oversize their generators, thinking bigger means safer, but it often leads to wasted fuel, higher costs, unnecessary emissions, and inefficient running of the generator,” he adds. “We help measure actual load profiles to specify the right size, delivering efficiency, reliability, and environmental benefits.”
Inspiring the next generation
Shenton Group’s sustainability efforts are driven by its commitment to technology and innovation. Technology underpins everything Shenton Group does and is crucial in augmenting its operational efficiency.
“Technology and data are at the heart of how we operate. We’re investing in smarter generator and CHP monitoring systems, streamlined digital workflows, and advanced tools to enhance data-driven maintenance,” Curtis reveals. “We’ve expanded our in-house design team and invested heavily in our BIM modelling capabilities, enabling greater detail and accuracy in visualising complex installations. These models empower clients to make informed decisions and ensure seamless integration from concept to completion.
“In addition, our Tech Hub serves to accelerate product development and share expertise. We use it to train new engineers and inspire the next generation. We offer hands-on courses and live demonstrations that show the inner workings of generator technology, as well as supporting local skills development through work experience opportunities.
“Alongside our Tech Hub, our Generator Test Cell, which was built in 2018 at our Andover headquarters, ensures that every unit meets the highest standards before delivery. It’s a unique facility within the industry; it offers a forced-air-cooled environment where we carry out final testing, pre-delivery inspections, client acceptance tests, and full performance evaluations. Designed to accommodate even the largest generators, the Test Cell allows engineers to precisely control airflow, temperature, and acoustics for accurate, reliable testing.”
From its family-run origins to its current market-leading position, Shenton Group has never lost sight of its purpose: to keep critical operations running, no matter what.
“When power matters most, we deliver certainty,” Curtis concludes. “That’s what our clients depend on. That’s what drives us every day.”