Infrastructure company Ferrovial, through its UK construction division, has been awarded a £230m ($283.8m) contract for the Grain to Tilbury electricity infrastructure upgrade project by National Grid.

 The project is scheduled to run from early 2025 until the first quarter of 2029.

The project is a key component of a range of infrastructure upgrades scheduled for National Grid's "great grid upgrade", representing the biggest modernisation of the UK's electricity network in recent history.

Ferrovial Construction, in collaboration with BEMO, an engineering-driven company, will form the Ferrovial BEMO JV [joint venture] to execute the project.

The work will include the construction of a new 2.2km high voltage (400kv) cable tunnel, two deep 35m shafts (15m and 12m diameter respectively), headhouses and cable sealing end (CSE) compounds.

The Ferrovial BEMO JV will utilise advanced engineering techniques and state-of-the-art technology to meet the highest safety and efficiency standards.

The vertical shaft sinking machine (VSM) solution, recognised for its precise and reliable performance, will be used.

According to the press release, the VSM can excavate and install the final lining from the surface at the same time, significantly reducing construction time and environmental impact, and improving safety.

This technology is suitable for the Grain to Tilbury project due to its usage under groundwater conditions. The project is the second instance of its use in the UK.

Ferrovial Construction has completed other tunnelling projects in the UK: the Thames Tideway tunnel, the Silvertown tunnel, the Northern Line extension and multiple contracts on the Elizabeth Line.

In October 2024, Ferrovial completed the construction of a new satellite control centre for Hisdesat in Madrid, Spain.