£624m National Grid supply chain investment programme aims to support local growth
National Grid has announced £625m of contracts across 78 companies in England and Wales, offering businesses "a key role in modernising the country’s strategic electricity network".
Image: National Grid
Over the next five years, National Grid and the suppliers will work together to support critical electricity network maintenance and enhancements across England and Wales, it said.
The move will be a “key enabler to the delivery of thousands of new homes, factories and data centres the UK Government wants built this decade”, it added.
Benefits of contracts also aim to create opportunities for local businesses, jobs and communities. As an example, on one major converter station project, a supplier identified early opportunities that could support around 270 local jobs, provide more than 3,000 apprenticeship weeks, and benefit around 30 local SMEs and community organisations – with more than half of project spending expected to remain within the local area.
Roger Smith Skilled Services, a family business established in 1981 and employing three people, is one of the companies expected to benefit through work across West Cornwall, Bodmin, Plymouth and Devon, it said.
Adrian Kidd, Director and co-owner of Roger Smith Skilled Services, said:
“We are a small local Plymouth maintenance and construction company that has started a new contract with National Grid. This is a great opportunity for our business, providing a steady pipeline of work and giving us the confidence to invest and grow. We’re proud to play our part in helping National Grid maintain local substations and future-proof key local power infrastructure.”
Cordi O’Hara Image: YouTube
Cordi O’Hara, President, UK of National Grid, said:
“Reliable, resilient and affordable energy infrastructure is essential to the country’s prosperity. By backing British businesses of all sizes, National Grid is helping to build the network that will connect people to jobs, support economic growth and create opportunity in communities across the country, giving people a stake in the transformation of our energy system.
“The benefits of this programme extend far beyond the infrastructure itself. From small local firms to major national suppliers, this programme is helping businesses to grow, to invest in skills, to create jobs, and to build the capabilities needed to support communities across England and Wales for years to come.”
In addition to site works, National Grid is making funding available to local initiatives through its Community Grant Programme and Community Matters Fund.
This is by no means the only investment taking place. Last week, it was announced that planning permission had been granted for three new substations across South Yorkshire and the East Midlands as part of the National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade programme.
All three new substations have been approved as part of National Grid’s Brinsworth to Chesterfield and Chesterfield to High Marnham projects representing the latest development in a summer of progress in the Great Grid Upgrade programme.
The proposed substations will support proposed upgrades to the existing overhead lines, helping cleaner, more home-grown energy from more affordable sources reach homes and businesses and strengthening the future network.
High Marnham substation was approved by Bassetlaw District Council in June, with Long Lane substation and a substation near Chesterfield given the go-ahead by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council respectively in July.
James Leeming and pressure testing GIS image:Switchgear Content
“We are pleased the substations have secured planning approval,” said James Leeming, National Grid project director. “This is an important milestone for energy resilience across England and reflects the detailed work that has gone into developing the proposals.
“The new substations will ensure we can continue to supply clean, reliable and more affordable electricity to the businesses and homes that need it,” Leeming added.
GIS Switchgear. Image: GE Vernova
GE Vernova has announced it has been chosen by Laing O'Rourke to deliver new 400 kV Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substation at Chesterfield,
The new substation will help increase the capacity of the electricity transmission network, supporting growing electricity demand, maintaining a secure and reliable energy supply and helping connect more sources of home-grown renewable energy.