National Grid £12.8bn HV civils framework hits market

National Grid is starting the hunt for civils and major project contractors to deliver the onshore infrastructure to connect 50GW of offshore wind by 2030.

The energy distributor has released three frameworks to the market to deliver plans for major power line links and high voltage direct current converter stations to hook up the offshore wind farms.

The core construction framework will be worth £12.8bn over 8 years and covers major works and civils for construction of converter stations and installation of UHV cable. This programme will involve at least 15 HVDC projects, with the scope of some still to be agreed.

As well as major works and civils, National Grid is also on the hunt for firms for two more specialised frameworks covering turnkey converter stations and specialist cable supply and installation which also involve elements of civils work.

HVDC Major Works & Civils Framework

Lot 1 – Converter Civil Works – value £9bn

1. Eastern Green Link 3

2. Eastern Green Link 4

3. Other projects of a similar size and nature

Lot 2 – Onshore Cable Civil Works – value £3.7bn

1. Eastern Green Link 3

2. Eastern Green Link 4

3. Other projects of a similar size and nature

HVDC Converter Systems Framework £24.6bn

– Supply and installation of converter systems including design, manufacture, installation, and testing of HVDC converter station technology and equipment. This could include the front-end engineering design services in relation to any or all the aforementioned scope

– Turnkey solution including civils and major works

– Maintenance services may be included in the call off scope

HVDC Cable Framework – £21.3bn

– HVDC submarine cable lay and burial

– HVDC onshore underground cable system delivery, installation and associated civil engineering works

– Design, engineer, prepare, procure and install landfall horizontal direct drilling ducts

– Front-end engineering design services

Interested firms should email the National Grid, specifically noting interest in the particular framework, in order to access pre-qualification documentation via Ariba. Deadline for applications is 15 January.