National Grid contracts Spain’s Ferrovial for Grain to Tilbury cable tunnel upgrade
Image courtesy Ferrovial
Spanish transportation and mobility company Ferrovial has been awarded a contract by British utility National Grid to the tune of £230 million ($284.7 million) for the Grain to Tilbury electricity infrastructure upgrade project.
The scheme, which will run from early 2025 to Q1 2029, will see Ferrovial design and build a 2.2km long high voltage (400kv) cable tunnel with two 35m deep shafts (15m and 12m diameter respectively), headhouses and Cable Sealing End (CSE) compounds.
Ferrovial will deliver the contract through its construction business in the UK and through a joint venture between Ferrovial Construction and BEMO (Ferrovial BEMO JV).
According to Ferrovial, their Ferrovial BEMO JV will employ advanced engineering techniques and state-of-the-art technology to ensure the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
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For example, one of the solutions to be employed on the scheme is a Vertical Shaft Sinking Machine (VSM) for its reliability and accuracy. The VSM technology allows for simultaneous excavation and installation of the final lining from the surface, significantly reducing construction time, minimising environmental impact and ensuring the highest level of safety throughout operation. The VSM can be used under groundwater, making it ideal for the Grain to Tilbury project.
This will be the second time that this method is used in the UK.
Ferrovial Construction has experience in delivering complex tunnelling projects in the UK. Tunnelling schemes delivered in the UK include the Thames Tideway Tunnel (FLO JV), the Silvertown Tunnel (Riverlinx CJV), Northern Line Extension (FLO JV), and three contracts on the Elizabeth Line (BFK JV) including the longest stretch of tunnel between Royal Oak and Farringdon, as well as Farringdon Station itself.
The scheme, the first for Ferrovial from National Grid as a client, forms part of a broader suite of infrastructure upgrades and reinforcements planned by National Grid as part of The Great Grid Upgrade.
