The next phase of the £1 billion London Power Tunnels (LPT2) project is set to get underway early next year.

A £400 million contract has been awarded to HOCHTIEF-MURPHY Joint Venture (HMJV) to deliver the tunnelling and shaft work on the second phase. This work will take place over six years, beginning in March 2020.

The National Grid project will see the construction of a 32.5km tunnel which will house electricity transmission cables 30m underground. The new cables will replace three circuits that currently run under the surface of roads between Wimbledon in the southwest to Crayford in the southeast.

-- Advertisement --

The first phase of the London Power Tunnels project, which was completed in 2018, saw the capital rewired from Hackney in the east to Willesden in the west, and from Kensal Green to Wimbledon via deep underground tunnels to meet increasing electricity demand.

National Grid's UK Executive Director, Nicola Shaw said: "This contract award is a major milestone in the next phase of the London Power Tunnels project and will help ensure the capital has secure, reliable access to electricity to meet the energy demands of the future."


HOCHTIEF (UK) Managing Director, Lawrence Jackson commented: "We are delighted to be delivering this important project with our partner Murphy for National Grid and for the betterment of London's long-term energy infrastructure. We look forward to our successful collaboration on this contract and its contribution to the overall scheme."

The project has been developed to minimise disruption for Londoners, eliminating the need to dig up the existing cable infrastructure, which is now more than 50-years-old and reaching the end of its life.

(CM/MH)