National Grid Unveils NW London Upgrade Project

National Grid PLC has announced a project to upgrade and add capacity to the electricity infrastructure between Sundon in Bedfordshire and St John's Wood in London.

The North West London Upgrade (NWLU) project "will increase network capacity and strengthen the resilience of electricity supplies across the region, as well as helping to keep energy bills down by reducing constraint costs", National Grid said in a press release.

“The investment will also play a vital role in supporting economic growth across North West London as electricity demand rises, enabling new data center connections while making sure homes, businesses and digital industries have the reliable power they need now and in the future.

"The project adds to National Grid’s portfolio of ongoing work across the capital, which also includes London Power Tunnels 2 and the North London Reinforcement scheme".

The project will upgrade the Sundon substation, reconductor the 35-kilometer (21.75 miles) Sundon-Elstree overhead line route, extend the Elstree gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation; build a GIS substation in Letchmore Heath, next to Elstree; install a new 400-kiloVolt cable circuit in the Elstree-St John’s Wood tunnel; upgrade the Elstree-St John’s Wood tunnel and headhouses; and reinforce the St John's Wood substation.

Dartford-based Laing O’Rourke will deliver substation works in Letchmore, Heath, Elstree and St John’s Wood. The Swindon-based Hochtief-Murphy Joint Venture has been contracted for the cable installation and tunnel upgrades. South Korea's Hyundai Electric will supply and install major electrical equipment including transformers. Germany’s Siemens Energy will deliver shunt reactors at the Elstree substation.

Earlier National Grid announced GBP 1.2 billion ($1.63 billion) worth of reconductoring projects under the second phase of its Electricity Transmission Partnership (ETP). The awards, covering over 1,000 kilometers of overhead lines, have gone to Balfour Beatty, M Group, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Murphy and OTW.

"The ETP complements other initiatives in National Grid's evolving supply chain ecosystem, including the Great Grid Partnership and its high voltage direct current supply chain framework", National Grid said in an online statement June 23.

"Through these programs National Grid has established supply chain contracts that will deliver over GBP 28 billion in planned investment in its UK electricity networks".

It added, "This latest ETP program forms a key part of National Grid's RIIO-T3 plan, which proposes GBP 31 billion of investment in the transmission network through to 2031".

"During that period the company plans to upgrade around 3,500km of existing transmission lines - half of its entire network - helping to support Britain’s future electricity needs as demand grows", National Grid said.

"These plans build on progress made during RIIO-T2, when National Grid delivered over 16 GW of new transfer capacity by upgrading existing infrastructure and installing grid-enhancing technologies - including 3.5 GW added through reconductoring in 2024/25 alone".

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