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First seven members join NG’s Great Grid Partnership

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National Grid has announced seven core supply chain partners that will support the first stages of the Great Grid Upgrade to help power the UK’s energy transition.

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The ‘enterprise model’ adopted by National Grid will see the organisation working with two design and consenting service partners: an AECOM-Arup joint venture, and WSP. Five construction firms will round out the Great Grid Partnership: Laing O’Rourke; Morgan Sindall Infrastructure; Morrison Energy Services; Murphy; and Omexom/Taylor Woodrow (OTW).

: L-R top row: Kate Hall – AECOM – Arup JV, Simon Innis – Omexom /Taylor Woodrow (OTW), Alain Loosveld – Morrison Energy Services, John Murphy – Murphy, Simon Smith – Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Paul Tremble – WSP, Madeleina Loughrey-Grant – Laing O’Rourke L-R bottom row: Matt Staley - National Grid, Julie Taylor - National Grid, Carl Trowell - National Grid, Katie O'Hara - National Grid - National Grid

According to National Grid, the partnership has been formed in response to a supply chain and skills shortage across the relevant sectors. Driven by a target of connecting 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, the first part of the Great Grid Upgrade involves an initial nine Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) projects. The Great Grid Partnership is National Grid’s answer to the enormity of the challenge, described by the company as ‘the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in decades’.

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“The scale and pace of this upgrade requires us to unite as an industry and to think and act differently,” said Carl Trowell, president, Strategic Infrastructure, National Grid.

“This Great Grid Partnership is a ground-breaking initiative from National Grid that places our supply chain partners at the heart of our infrastructure upgrade programme. All our chosen partners have an established history of successful collaboration in delivering major projects and enabling innovation to thrive.”

The partnership will aim to coordinate the planning and execution of the nine ASTI projects, allowing each supplier and National Grid to pool skills and resources. According to National Grid, this will allow the partnership to deliver faster and better value benefits for both consumers and local communities.   

“By sharing best practice and collaborating across nine of our critical major ASTI infrastructure projects, we will set the gold-standard for future infrastructure projects in terms of driving innovation, shoring up capacity across the skills base, operating responsibly and sustainably and ultimately in getting the best value for consumers,” said Trowell.

Commenting on the announcement, Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said: “Investing in our energy infrastructure is of critical strategic importance for the UK as we move towards net zero and decarbonising our electricity supply. This partnership is a groundbreaking approach towards boosting the UK’s supply chain and will bring forward innovative and collaborative ways of working towards a greener and upgraded network. Industry stands ready to provide the skills and technologies to make this investment transformational.”

The nine ASTI projects are:

  • Norwich to Tilbury North
  • Norwich to Tilbury South 
  • North Humber to High Marnham 
  • Grimsby to Walpole 
  • Chesterfield to Willington 
  • Brinsworth to High Marnham 
  • Tilbury to Grain and Tilbury to Kingsnorth 
  • Pentir to Trawsfynydd (cable replacement) 
  • Pentir to Trawsfynydd (second circuit) 
National Grid UK