Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial, through its British construction business, has secured a new £230m tunnelling contract in the UK for National Grid.
Under the contract, Ferrovial’s UK business will work on the Grain to Tilbury electricity infrastructure upgrade project, which will start in early 2025 and finish by Q1 2029.
The Grain to Tilbury project involves upgrading electricity infrastructure by replacing the 1960s Thames Cable Tunnel beneath the Thames between Tilbury and Gravesend.
Built in 1969, the existing tunnel includes houses 400kV transmission cables as part of National Grid’s high-voltage network.
The project is part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade, the UK’s largest electricity network overhaul in generations that involves a range of infrastructure upgrades and reinforcements.
Ferrovial Construction and BEMO will deliver the project through their integrated joint venture, Ferrovial BEMO JV.
It will include the construction of a 2.2km long high-voltage (400kV) cable tunnel, two 35m deep shafts (15m and 12m diameter respectively), and associated headhouses and Cable Sealing End (CSE) compounds.
Ferrovial BEMO JV said it will use advanced engineering and the latest technology to guarantee top safety and efficiency standards for the project.
The project will utilise a Vertical Shaft Sinking Machine (VSM), known for its precision and reliability.
VSM enables simultaneous excavation and lining installation from the surface, reducing construction time, minimising environmental impact, and enhancing safety throughout the operation.
Additionally, the machine can be used under groundwater, ideal for the Grain to Tilbury project. This will be the second time VSM technology is used in the UK.
Ferrovial Construction has already delivered several tunnelling projects in the UK. Notable projects include the Thames Tideway Tunnel, Silvertown Tunnel, Northern Line Extension, and three Elizabeth Line contracts, including the longest tunnel stretch between Royal Oak and Farringdon.
The Grain to Tilbury project will further strengthen Ferrovial Construction’s presence in the UK market.
In December, Ferrovial secured its largest UK construction contract ever, winning three contracts to design and build the track infrastructure for HS2, valued at approximately £3 billion.
In December 2024, the infrastructure firm secured its largest UK construction contract ever, winning three contracts to design and build the track infrastructure for HS2, valued at approximately £3bn.
