POWER firm Aggreko has seen revenues rise after working on high-profile sporting events.

The company, which offers generator hire, says it has benefited from contracts to provide power for stadiums and broadcasters at the Brazil World Cup and Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

It will also provide temporary power to the 2014 Ryder Cup, which will be held at Gleneagles, in Scotland, next month.

Bosses say its sports deals helped revenues rise to £768m for the six months to June 30, an increase from £760m in the same period last year.

They revealed it has seen 14 per cent revenue growth in its power projects division in the first half, with contracts in Libya, Senegal, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

The firm, which operates a service centre in Washington, Wearside, also said it completed £200m of cash returns to shareholders in the second quarter.

Angus Cockburn, Aggreko interim chief executive, said: “We have made an encouraging start to the year and delivered a good performance in the first half.

“The business has performed well in the Americas, and we are proud to have been involved in the provision of broadcast and stadium power for the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

“One of the highlights of the first half has been our success in executing two ground-breaking contracts.

“In Panama, we are the first temporary power provider to be awarded a wholesale contract, and we are selling into the spot market to help alleviate the hydropower shortages.

Looking forward, in power projects, while we take some encouragement from the order intake in the first half and a healthy enquiry pipeline, customers generally remain cautious.

“Overall, we continue to expect underlying trading profit for the full year to be similar to 2013.”

Aggreko’s work on the Ryder Cup will see it supply power and support to a range of areas, as well as ensuring a tented village, hospitality units, a media centre and temporary buildings are air conditioned.