The project was awarded to Morgan Sindall Infrastructure as part of the four year Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) framework, which they were appointed to in 2016. It increases the value of works which the company has been awarded through the EPC framework this year to over £100 million.
This particular project is part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) programme, which will make use of a £500 million provision made available by Ofgem until 2021 to reduce the visual impact of existing electricity transmission infrastructure in some of the most precious landscapes throughout England and Wales. This project is the first scheme to be delivered as part of National Grid’s VIP programme.
Work began in early 2019 on this complex project and will involve the design, construction, testing and commissioning of a new 8-kilometre 400kV double circuit underground cable system and associated works in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The project will also involve the removal of the existing overhead line and 22 pylons that form part of the existing landscape in the AONB.
BakerHicks are providing civil, structural and electrical (HV) engineering services on the project. They have an established track record in major cabling and power projects, having been closely involved with a similar project for National Grid to run 22km of cable under Morecambe Bay.
