WorldWide Drilling Resource

16 NOVEMBER 2013 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® London Power Tunnels Bring Electricity and Jobs Compiled by Amy White, Associate Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® National Grid, an international electricity and gas company, and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world, is currently at work on a seven-year project to rewire London via deep underground tunnels which will give the city access to a safe and reliable electricity transmission network in the future. The latest phase of the project was completed eight days ahead of schedule. Costain, one of the United Kingdom’s leading engineering solu- tions providers, carried out the work under a contract with National Grid. Skanska was the construction partner. Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Evelyn recently completed the latest mile-long drive of the tunnel in just four months. Meanwhile TBM Cleopatra is working on an eight-mile tunnel from St. John’s Wood in northwest London to Hackney in the east. The London Power Tunnels, due to be completed in 2018, will stretch a total distance of 19 miles. The con- struction of this new electricity super- highway is not only bringing electricity to homes, businesses, and community facilities, but is also bringing jobs to London. On a recent visit to National Grid’s Wandsworth construction site, London’s Deputy Mayor Sir Edward Lister said, “It’s amazing to think that as Londoners go about their business, this massive tunneling machine is at work below the city, helping to make sure that the cap- ital’s energy needs are met, supporting vital employment opportunities in the process.” Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, is offering unem- Photo of National Grid workers courtesy of londonpowertunnels.co.uk ployed Londoners the opportunity to train and work on the tunnels project. No previous experience is required, and the new recruits will be trained to operate in the network of vast cable tunnels under the city. Balfour Beatty has partnered with the state-of-the-art Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in East London to attract and train new recruits over the next year. David Luetchford, National Grid’s head of cable tunnels said, “We’re delighted that our project is providing people in [London] with an exciting career opportunity. The selected candi- dates will be doing a very worthwhile job which will benefit the whole of London, helping keep the lights on for years to come.” The United Kingdom’s National Infrastructure Plan has identified tun- nel ing as a vital ski l l for del ivering future infrastructure projects. By 2015, it is estimated that the number of jobs in tunneling and underground work will rise to 4000 there. In the longer term, potentially thousands of engineering and technician jobs will also be created in the United Kingdom by National Grid and others in the energy sector.