Balfour Beatty awarded new contract by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has been awarded a new contract by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks for the design and refurbishment of five 132kV overhead lines across Southern England.

This refurbishment will replace parts of the network that are coming to the end of their working life, making it more robust and resilient and minimising the risk of power cuts for customers in the area.

Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution business will manage the delivery of all wayleaves, undergrounding and undercrossings, temporary works including scaffolding and access works. Alongside this the project team will be responsible for the steelwork, foundation and conductor refurbishment across all five lines.

Balfour Beatty will use its innovative Catenary Support System to reduce interface risk and overall project costs. To reduce outages and deliver cost efficiencies, the team will need to refurbish two lines simultaneously, utilising shared project management to ensure continuity of resource.

Ian Currie, Managing Director for Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution business, said: “We have significant experience in delivering projects of this complexity. Our innovative methodologies will ensure that we can mitigate any technical challenges effectively, while providing a cost effective workable solution.”

Balfour Beatty will offer apprenticeship opportunities on this project to further support its commitment to The 5% Club, a UK employer-led initiative focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices and graduates into the workforce.

Pre-construction works are due to start this year, with completion expected in 2018.

Media enquiries to:

Vivienne Dunn
Balfour Beatty 
+44 (0)207 963 2150
vivienne.dunn@balfourbeatty.com
www.balfourbeatty.com

Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to provide technical engineering solutions.With experience and expertise across the full spectrum of the electricity grid, including overhead lines, cable tunnels, substations and distribution networks, we deliver a range of proactive and reactive services which support a reliable and safe supply of power flowing to millions of homes and businesses around the world.

From scoping and feasibility, to design, construction and on-going maintenance, our in-house experts, flexible resources and industry-leading innovations support clients in the development of some of the UK’s most ambitious power transmission and distribution projects.

Current projects within our portfolio include the £20m NEMO Link (www.nemo-link.com) the fifth major interconnector into the UK which supports Europe’s ‘super grid’ and the £55m London Power Tunnels project (www.londonpowertunnels.co.uk)  a new 32km electricity superhighway deep below the capital, which will help keep Londoners connected to safe and reliable electricity supplies. We are also working on a €219million project for ElecLink to install an HVDC 1000MV electricity interconnector between France and the UK via the Channel Tunnel.