A joint venture comprised of AECOM and Arup has been appointed as a design and consenting service partner for the UK National Grid’s Great Grid Partnership.
This Partnership is expected to deliver a design and construction programme to connect clean energy to homes and businesses throughout England and Wales by 2030.
The project will play a critical role in the UK’s energy transition, thus helping the National Grid support e-mobility and the decarbonisation of the nation’s transport networks.
Colin Wood, chief executive of AECOM’s Europe and India region said:We’re excited to work with National Grid and our partners to shape the energy transition in England and Wales through the delivery of modern, stable, and flexible grid infrastructure. Our unrivalled enterprise capabilities enable our teams to draw on a deep, global bench of expertise in grid design, positioning us to not only execute on National Grid’s ambitious objectives but to also meet the unprecedented demand for grid improvements in the region.
This major grid modernisation programme will deliver five times more electricity infrastructure over the next six years than has been constructed over the past 30 years.
As a result, renewable energy facilities, such as wind farms in the North Sea, will benefit from improved infrastructure to connect to the UK’s power system.
By enabling the transition to net zero, this is ultimately expected to lead to cheaper energy and less reliance on fossil fuels.
Frank Sweet, chief executive of AECOM’s global Environment business said:As one of the world’s top environmental and sustainability consulting firms, our teams play a defining role in both designing and delivering the solutions that are advancing the global energy transition. This latest programme for National Grid bolsters our position as a trusted advisor for our many long-term clients as they lead the shift to more sustainable energy sources.
Under this contract, the AECOM-Arup joint venture will deliver consents for individual schemes within the programme. This will include technical and environmental designs and preparation, as well as stakeholder engagement on the plans.
