National Grid Signs GBP1 Billion Contract To Upgrade Elec Network

Mar 1, 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc

National Grid said Thursday that it will sign contracts with two consortia worth over GBP1 billion over five years to upgrade and develop the electricity transmission network across England and Wales.

These are the first set of contracts in a wider Alliance partnership that represents a significant part of National Grid's planned investment to maintain safe and secure supplies of energy to the U.K., it said.

The contracts are split geographically into East and West areas and will support planned work on overhead electricity lines and cables. This work is required to connect new generation infrastructure and to replace existing assets to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the high voltage electricity network.

Confirmed partner consortia are: Overhead line and cables East - Balfour Beatty Group; West - AMEC, Babcock and Mott MacDonald.