Whitfield Consulting Services (WCS) is proud to present a two-part series showcasing our involvement in a range of high-profile projects within the Rail and Power & Energy sectors. Our expertise has been called on by industry leaders including VolkerFitzpatrick, Hitachi Energy, Murphy, UK Power Networks Services, and Linxon.
In part one, we highlight three key projects: National Grid’s £750 million London Power Tunnels 2, which aims to secure the capital’s electricity supply; the development of Hornsea 3, set to become the world’s single largest offshore wind farm; and our work at Surrey Quays station, where WCS is providing essential civil engineering services for critical upgrades to the London Overground’s power network.
Hornsea 3 Connecting the world’s single largest offshore wind farm
Client: Hitachi Energy
Lead Engineer: Natalja Petkune
Ørsted is spearheading the development of Hornsea 3, set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm upon completion. Positioned approximately 120 kilometres off the Norfolk coast, Hornsea Three will have a capacity of 2.85 GW, generating enough renewable energy to power over three million homes in the UK.
This ambitious £8.5 billion project will channel its power to the mainland via high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cables. The energy will be routed to a new HVDC Converter Station before being integrated into the UK’s transmission network at the National Grid’s Norwich Main 400 kV Substation.
Hitachi Energy is tasked with the design, installation, and commissioning of four 400 kV Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) feeder circuits at Norwich Main Substation. National Grid will prepare the site to accommodate these new installations and to enable the connection, modifying the main and reserve busbars.
WCS is partnering with Hitachi Energy to provide civil engineering design services essential for this critical extension, including high-voltage plant equipment foundation design; portable relay room foundation design; SF6 access path and hard standing; and cable trenches incorporating ducts details and layouts.
London Power Tunnels 2: Future proofing the capital’s electricity supplies
Client: Linxon
Lead Engineer: Natalja Petkune
National Grid’s London Power Tunnels 2 (LPT2) project is a £750 million investment to future-proof the capital’s electricity supplies. It will help to accommodate the growing amount of renewable generation that is connecting to the network.
National Grid describes the project as a ‘massive engineering challenge’. It involves the construction of 32.5km of 3m diameter tunnels deep beneath the city’s road network, which will house high-voltage electricity cables crucial for the city’s power distribution. The project requires the connection of four existing substations and the construction of two new ones.
WCS is providing civil engineering design services for intermediate National Grid substation sites along the stretch of the route, utilising BIM 360 for integrated project management.
Surrey Quays: Temporary works for critical cable upgrades on the London Overground
Client: Clear Route Utility Services
Lead Engineer: Nick Lowe
WCS was engaged by Clear Route Utility Services, who are contracted to London Overground, to design temporary works for cable route upgrades at Surrey Quays station on the East London Line of the London Overground.
WCS was tasked with designing two temporary cable pulling points, to be installed on the platform at Surrey Quays station in Rotherhithe. These pulling points were essential for facilitating the removal of redundant high-voltage (HV) cables and creating space for new HV cables as part of a broader power upgrade project.
To achieve this, WCS designed a cast in situ concrete block, which would be installed during engineering hours and serve as a secure fixing point for winching out the old HV cables. The design work included the production of detailed drawings, engineering calculations, a designer’s risk assessment, and the preparation of a Form C Civil (Certificate of Design and Check for Temporary Works).
A critical aspect of the project was ensuring that all works could be completed in staged phases during overnight engineering hours, allowing the platform to be reopened for passenger use the following morning.
The civil engineering experts in Rail and Power & Energy
“WCS has earned a strong reputation in the industry for delivering expert civil engineering services in the Rail and Power & Energy sectors,” says Asa Whitfield, Managing Director of WCS.
“We want to play our part in making the global shift to Net Zero possible, and one of the most effective ways we can do this is by focusing our expertise on projects in the renewable energy and rail infrastructure space.
“We’re trusted by our clients to deliver creative solutions to complex civil engineering challenges. We’re known for our agility, experience, responsiveness, collaboration, and creativity when it comes to working with clients on infrastructure projects,” adds Asa.
In part two, we share our ongoing efforts to modernise and maintain essential railway infrastructure, such as the historic Blackheath Tunnel and the Downs Park Road Overbridge.
We highlight our work on innovative energy storage solutions and our role in relocating critical equipment at the Borehamwood Auto Transformer Feeder Station.
To find out more about how we work, or to see some of our recently completed projects, visit our portfolio page or get in touch.
