The Great Grid Partnership names key suppliers for a transformative infrastructure programme.
- National Grid selects five contractors and two design teams to enhance energy transmission.
- The project aims to integrate renewable energy across England and Wales by 2030.
- Nine vital projects fall under the £9bn Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment framework.
- This ambitious upgrade will surpass the electricity infrastructure built in the last three decades.
The National Grid has unveiled its selection of five leading contractors and two prestigious design firms as integral partners in the ambitious Great Grid Partnership. Designed to connect renewable energy sources to homes and businesses, this initiative is set to bring significant advancements in energy infrastructure across England and Wales by the end of 2030.
Within the framework of a staggering £9bn supply chain, the partnership intends not only to meet immediate infrastructural demands but also to lay the groundwork for future projects beyond the 2030 timeline. The chosen entities include the Aecom Arup Joint Venture and WSP for design and consenting services, along with Laing O’Rourke, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Morrison Energy Services, Murphy, and Omexom / Taylor Woodrow for construction duties.
As part of the overarching Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) framework, nine crucial projects are earmarked for development. These encompass significant upgrades spanning Norwich to Tilbury, Chesterfield to Willington, among others. A remarkable facet of this undertaking is that it requires constructing fivefold more electricity infrastructure within six years than what was achieved over the past three decades.
Carl Trowell, president for strategic infrastructure at National Grid, articulated the necessity of uniting industry efforts, stating, “The scale and pace of this upgrade requires us to unite as an industry and to think and act differently.” Trowell underscored the importance of placing supply chain partners at the core of this modernisation drive to foster collaboration and innovation.
The Aecom Arup JV partnership holds a pivotal role in the acquisition of development consent orders for each distinct project. Kate Hall, enterprise director for the Aecom Arup JV, emphasized the strategic importance of their role, saying, “Our joint expertise in design, engineering, environmental assessments, and stakeholder engagement means we have a critical role to play delivering infrastructure that facilitates the UK’s transition to net zero…”
The Great Grid Partnership signifies a paradigm shift in the UK’s approach to sustainable energy infrastructure, setting a benchmark for future endeavours.
