01 May 2024
Huge boost to UK supply chain as National Grid launches the Great Grid Partnership with seven new industry partners all united in the drive to deliver The Great Grid Upgrade
- National Grid launches pioneering ‘enterprise model’ as response to UK supply chain and skills shortage, announcing the first seven supply chain partners to form the Great Grid Partnership.
- The Partnership, which will initially focus on the network design and construction work required by the end of the decade for nine major infrastructure projects across England and Wales, forms part of a £9bn supply chain framework which will also support infrastructure projects beyond 2030.
- The Partnership will support supply chain capacity and foster collaboration across best practice and skills, delivering benefits for consumers and the wider UK economy.
- This investment further underlines National Grid’s commitment to the people, jobs and skills required to help deliver the energy transition.
- Investment in the UK’s electricity network industry will contribute an average of £18.4bn to GDP and support around 220,000 jobs each year between 2024 and 2035. [1]
In a major boost to the UK supply chain, National Grid has today launched the Great Grid Partnership. The company, which sits at the heart of the UK energy transition, has named the seven partners who will support the delivery of an initial nine Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) projects.
The ASTI projects form a key part of The Great Grid Upgrade which is building the significant new electricity network infrastructure required to reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels by connecting 50GW of offshore wind by 2030.
This new ‘enterprise model’ is a collaborative partnership bringing together National Grid’s supply chain partners. Two design and consenting service partners [AECOM Arup (JV); WSP], and five construction partners [Laing O’Rourke; Morgan Sindall Infrastructure; Morrison Energy Services; Murphy; Omexom / Taylor Woodrow (OTW)] are joining National Grid in the newly formed Great Grid Partnership.
Designed to speed up the delivery of much needed national electricity infrastructure by taking a fresh approach to UK supply chain and skills issues. The partnership aims to coordinate the planning and execution of projects, allowing each supplier and National Grid to pool their resources, skills, insights, and experience to deliver faster and more economically – driving value for money and benefits for both consumers and local communities.
By creating these long-term strategic contractual relationships, our partners will work collectively as an enterprise to drive value and innovation and secure delivery. Once established, this pioneering model will also deliver significant opportunities and benefits beyond the initial ASTI framework.
The partnership comes as the demand for products, services and skills continues to rise on a global scale as countries ramp up investment in the energy transition. It represents a huge challenge but also a great opportunity if industry works together to take advantage of the opportunity.
Carl Trowell, President, Strategic Infrastructure, National Grid said: “Today’s announcement is another significant and exciting milestone in the delivery of The Great Grid Upgrade – the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in decades. The scale and pace of this upgrade requires us to unite as an industry and to think and act differently.
“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.
“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.”
Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Justin Tomlinson, said: “The sooner we connect renewables to our grid, the sooner we can bring bills down and achieve our net zero ambitions. These new partners will help deliver vital network upgrades, supporting thousands of jobs and helping connect up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030. On top of this our major reforms announced in the Autumn Statement will cut the average delay for projects waiting to be connected to the grid from 5 years to 6 months."
Contact Information
Helen Blake
National Grid
07790 824788
helen.blake@nationalgrid.com
Notes to editors
Photo: 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
[1] National Grid's policy paper: Delivering for 2035 https://www.nationalgrid.com/document/149496/download
The nine Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (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 in the UK
National Grid sits at the heart of Britain’s energy system. The individual companies in our group run the networks and infrastructure that connect millions of people to the electricity they use every day. Our regulated businesses own and develop the high voltage electricity transmission (ET) network in England and Wales, and the electricity distribution (ED) network in the Midlands, Southwest England, and South Wales. The electricity system operator (ESO) is the legally separate (and in the process of becoming fully independent) arm of our group which manages supply and demand on Britain's electricity transmission networks. Operating separately from these core regulated units, National Grid Ventures (NGV) focuses on competitive markets, investing in energy projects, technologies, and partnerships such as electricity interconnectors.
We bring energy to life, with an ambition to serve our customers well, support the communities in which we operate, and make possible a clean, affordable, and resilient energy network of the future. Find out more about the energy challenge and how National Grid is helping find solutions to some of the challenges we face at https://www.nationalgrid.com/group/news
National Grid undertakes no obligation to update any of the information contained in this release, which speaks only as at the date of this release, unless required by law or regulation.
AECOM
AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy, and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivalled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.
Arup
Dedicated to sustainable development, Arup is a collective of designers, consultants and experts working globally. Founded to be humane and excellent, we collaborate with our clients and partners, using imagination, technology and rigour to shape a better world.
WSP
WSP is a world-leading multi-disciplinary professional services consulting firm which supports significant projects in both the built and natural environments. We provide engineering and design services to public and private sector clients in the transportation and infrastructure, property and buildings, earth and environment, power and energy, resources and industry sectors, as well as a strategic advisory offering.
Our team of over 9,000 technical specialists and strategic advisers in the UK is part of a talented family of over 67,000 global changemakers, transforming what’s possible to build a smarter, greener future for all. Together, we deliver innovative solutions to solve complex problems for our clients and the communities we serve, meeting both the needs of today and addressing the challenges of tomorrow.
Further information is available at https://www.wsp.com/en-gb or follow us on LinkedIn.
Laing O’Rourke - DELIVERING CERTAINTY THROUGH THE POWER OF EXPERIENCE
Certainty, reliability, security – that’s what our clients want. And, at Laing O’Rourke, we have over 150 years of experience delivering it. Our highly-trained and committed people understand the challenges of modern construction, the stakeholders involved, and how to work collaboratively to manage the process and achieve our clients’ aims. We combine this expertise with purposeful technology, wielding innovations like digital engineering and AI for powerful results. www.laingorourke.com @laing_orourke
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure delivers some of the UK’s most complex and critical infrastructure across six core sectors of energy, water, nuclear, highways, rail and aviation for public and private customers. Working on projects and long-term frameworks, we believe in connecting people, places and communities through innovative and responsible infrastructure. Through our expertise, we harness innovative ideas and approaches that enable us to safely and responsibly design and deliver resilient infrastructure. www.morgansindallinfrastructure.com
Morrison Energy Services
Morrison Energy Services works with national energy networks to repair, renew, refurbish and maintain the country’s electricity and gas infrastructure, with a key focus on decarbonisation to support the transition to a Net Zero Economy. With a workforce of over 1,200 people, operating 365 days a year in local communities, Morrison Energy Services works hard to keep the lights on, households warm and appliances running. Morrison Energy Services is a part of M Group Services. www.morrisones.com
Murphy
Murphy is a leading international, specialist engineering and construction company founded in 1951 with a purpose to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure. Operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America, Murphy provides better engineered solutions to infrastructure sectors including transportation; natural resources; power and water. Headquartered in London, Murphy has a number of related businesses – Ground Engineering; Utility Connections; Murphy Plant; Murphy Process Engineering; Pipeline Testing Services; Specialist Welding Services; and Electrical Services. Murphy is a specialist in delivering pipelines, design, structural steel, tunnelling, fabrication, bridges and piling, and has a substantial holding of plant, equipment and facilities.
Murphy employs around 4,000 engineers, professional managers and skilled operatives around the world. Together, they work as ‘One Murphy’ - directly delivering the people, plant and expertise needed to make projects a success. Visit www.murphygroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X: #MoretoMurphy
OTW
The OTW joint venture, created in 2023, unites two VINCI’s subsidiaries: Omexom UK & RoI and Taylor Woodrow. It aims to deliver EPC projects for the energy infrastructure sector in the United Kingdom, from design right through to commissioning.
Taylor Woodrow: Taylor Woodrow is the Civil Engineering delegation of VINCI Construction in the UK which forms part of VINCI, a world leader in concessions, construction and energy. www.taylorwoodrow.com @taylorwoodrow1
Omexom: Omexom is the infrastructure brand of VINCI Energies. Faced with ongoing transformations in the world of energy, Omexom helps its clients to achieve the energy transition. Omexom draws on its expertise in all fields of electricity and gas to build low carbon energy sources and develop the grid, promote optimised energy use and implement innovative and collaborative solutions. Omexom projects are designed for energy producers, transmission and distribution system operators, local and regional authorities as well as their users in all territories. As an integrator, Omexom continuously looks for the best technological options and deploys the most suitable solutions for its clients’ needs in complete autonomy from its suppliers.
The environment has always been at the heart of Omexom’s concerns which is even more essential for the coming years. Omexom is upgrading offers by using low-carbon processes and recycled materials that preserve the environment and, at the same time, is launching new low-carbon solutions. 2023: €5 billion // 24,000 employees // 470 Business Units // 37 countries www.omexom.com
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