A five-year transmission infrastructure program will address aging electrical assets across three regions of the United Kingdom, supporting network reliability as electricity demand increases. Jacobs has been reappointed to National Grid's Asset Health Intervention Programme and will expand its existing role to cover the Central, Southeast and Southwest regions.
The program covers more than 800 transmission assets across the three regions. Jacobs will support the replacement and refurbishment of equipment at existing substations, including circuit breakers, disconnectors, surge arresters, instrument transformers and through-wall bushings.
The regional work program includes more than 1,380 asset replacements, supplemented by emergency works intended to maintain electricity supply security. Jacobs will provide multidisciplinary detailed design, design assurance, data collection and construction support while National Grid's operations teams manage work on live network assets.
Standardized designs will be developed in accordance with National Grid requirements. The approach is intended to support repeatable delivery across a large number of asset interventions while limiting disruption to operating infrastructure.
Jacobs will serve as the sole supplier across the three regions under the program. A dedicated U.K.-based team will work with specialists from Jacobs' broader organization to deliver the work.
The program forms part of Jacobs' wider work with National Grid on U.K. transmission infrastructure. Existing engagements include management consultancy and design and project services frameworks supporting electricity and gas transmission activities.
The latest program also comes as the U.K. electricity system incorporates a larger share of renewable and clean energy generation. According to U.K. government statistics cited in the announcement, renewable and clean generation has increased from approximately 5% to 50% over the past two decades.
The program provides a structured approach to renewing aging transmission equipment across more than 800 assets while keeping existing network operations in service. For infrastructure owners and contractors, the work illustrates the scale of coordinated design, asset replacement and construction support required to modernize operating transmission networks.
Source: jacobs.
