National Grid has awarded £12 billion worth of civil engineering contracts for high voltage direct current (HVDC) infrastructure as part of its wider £59 billion Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the UK’s electricity network in generations.
The contracts are divided across two major packages. Lot 1, valued at £9.07 billion, covers civil works for HVDC converter stations and has been awarded to Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska, and Taylor Woodrow. Lot 2, worth £3.7 billion and covering HVDC onshore cable civils, was awarded to Balfour Beatty, Murphy, and VolkerFitzpatrick.
The five-year agreements, with an option to extend for a further three years, will support major transmission projects including Eastern Green Link 4, being developed in partnership with SP Energy Networks, and LionLink, a UK-Netherlands interconnector with Dutch transmission operator TenneT. The first tender under the new framework will focus on shared civil works for Eastern Green Link 3 and 4.
“This marks a major step forward in delivering the UK’s future energy network,” said Zac Richardson, National Grid’s chief engineer and offshore delivery director. “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.”
Gareth Burden, construction director for LionLink, said the announcement ensures the project is “well placed to progress LionLink and deliver the vital energy infrastructure the nation needs.”
The framework is designed to strengthen the domestic supply chain for HVDC technology, which is critical for transporting electricity over long distances. As part of this initiative, Sumitomo is set to build the UK’s first new HVDC cable manufacturing facility in over 20 years.
Construction firms welcomed their inclusion in the framework. “Our extensive civil engineering knowledge makes us ideally positioned to secure the power supply to millions of homes and businesses,” said Stephen Tarr, divisional chief executive at Balfour Beatty.
John Wilkinson, COO of BAM UK & Ireland, said the award “builds on our ongoing work to improve energy connectivity right across the UK and Ireland.” Galliford Try CEO Bill Hocking added the company looks forward to “modernising and decarbonising the energy system.”
Executives from Laing O’Rourke, Skanska, Taylor Woodrow, Murphy, and VolkerFitzpatrick also cited the significance of the framework in advancing energy security, applying innovative construction methods, and supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.
The Great Grid Upgrade is central to the UK government’s energy transition strategy, aiming to deliver new transmission capacity in time to meet rising electricity demand and integrate increasing volumes of renewable energy.
