Balfour Beatty has been awarded places on two major power infrastructure frameworks with National Grid.The first is for delivery of new build and refurbishment schemes under the Overhead Lines Design & Build Framework for the next four years, with two optional two year extensions.
The value of the framework agreement for new build and refurbishment of overhead lines is a maximum of £2.5 billion over the next eight year RIIO regulatory period. The new framework has been established to deliver an increased level of capital investment alongside its existing Alliance contracts. As well as retaining its status as an Alliance partner for National Grid’s Electricity Alliance East, under the new framework Balfour Beatty will be able to tender for high voltage overhead line schemes, with projects including the construction of new overhead lines and the refurbishment and reinforcement of existing infrastructure across England and Wales. Tendering will begin in 2014, with delivery of projects expected to start in 2015.
The second framework award is for National Grid’s Onshore Underground Cable Framework for the next four years, with an optional two year extension. The value of the framework agreement for cabling is a maximum of £800m.
Balfour Beatty will tender for projects including new cable installations, planned replacement and refurbishment schemes across National Grid’s 33-kV to 400-kV underground cable transmission network spanning England and Wales.
Balfour Beatty has a long history of working on the UK’s electricity grid, including helping to build some of the first national infrastructure in the late 1920s. Today, it uses in-house innovations and its flexible resource pool to deliver major projects across the UK and around the world. It is currently delivering the major Beauly to Denny overhead line project in Northern Scotland; carrying out work to reinforce electricity towers against super typhoons in Hong Kong; and using its unique Tunnel Cabling Machine to install power cables in tunnels deep under London for National Grid’s London Power Tunnels project.
Neil Kirkby, managing director, Balfour Beatty – Power Transmission & Distribution, said: “Securing a place on these frameworks is recognition of the breadth of capability that Balfour Beatty brings to National Grid. We have worked with them for over 40 years, constructing and maintaining the UK’s national transmission network, and we’re looking forward to continuing this work.
“We will be building on this existing strong relationship and seeking to leverage the combined strengths of Balfour Beatty Group to help National Grid achieve its ambitions through the RIIO regulatory period.”