National Grid has awarded £12bn of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) civil works contracts as part of the UK’s £59bn supply chain framework to deliver the Great Grid Upgrade.
Six suppliers – Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska and Taylor Woodrow – secured positions on Lot 1 for HVDC converter civil works worth £9.07bn. Balfour Beatty, Murphy and VolkerFitzpatrick were awarded Lot 2 for HVDC onshore cable civils, valued at £3.7bn.
The five-year agreements, extendable by three years, will support projects including Eastern Green Link 4 with SP Energy Networks and LionLink with TenneT. The first tender under the framework will cover shared works for Eastern Green Link 3 and 4.
National Grid chief engineer and offshore delivery director Zac Richardson said: “This marks a major step forward in delivering the UK’s future energy network. This investment not only underpins the transition to a more secure, independent and low-carbon energy future, but will also support tens of thousands of UK jobs.”
LionLink construction director Gareth Burden added: “Today’s announcement ensures we are well placed to progress LionLink and deliver the vital energy infrastructure the nation needs.”
The framework aims to strengthen and diversify the UK supply chain, with Sumitomo building the first new HVDC cable manufacturing facilities in the UK in more than 20 years.
Contractor executives also welcomed the awards. Balfour Beatty divisional chief executive Stephen Tarr said the company’s “extensive civil engineering knowledge makes us ideally positioned to secure the power supply to millions of homes and businesses”.
BAM UK & Ireland chief operating officer John Wilkinson said: “This contract award builds on our ongoing work to improve energy connectivity right across the UK and Ireland, helping to power millions of homes with green electricity.”
Galliford Try chief executive Bill Hocking added: “We look forward to working with National Grid to play our part in modernising and decarbonising the energy system.”
Laing O’Rourke clients and markets director John O’Connor said the company will bring “modern methods of construction and engineering solutions that have been tried and tested in other sectors” to the work.
Skanska UK executive vice president Andrew English said: “Energy security is a top priority for the UK. We’ll draw on our UK and global expertise to deliver critical HVDC infrastructure.”
Taylor Woodrow managing director Phil Skegg described the framework as “a significant milestone in support of the UK’s transition to net zero”.
Murphy UK managing director Nick Fletcher said: “Our place on the HVDC framework enables us to continue to support the energy transition and builds on our long-standing and successful relationship with National Grid.”
VolkerWessels UK board director John Cox added: “We’re committed to delivering efficient, low-carbon infrastructure that meets the needs of the future.”