Following a successful design phase, our Freedom business was appointed to deliver the design, build, installation and commissioning of a 132kV substation and single cable circuit to Northern Powergrid’s (NPg) grid supply point and battery energy storage supply in West Yorkshire.
Design & build of a 132kV-33kV substation and 132kV cable circuit to connect to the grid supply point
We delivered a comprehensive scope of works to support the development of the site, including the construction of the substation and associated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) infrastructure. Works also encompassed the development of a dedicated control room, installation of equipment bases, parking provision and full access enabling through ground clearance and civil engineering activities. The project further included facility fit-out, alongside extensive cable trench excavation, duct installation and cable laying to support the electrical infrastructure, followed by full systems testing and commissioning to ensure safe and effective operation.
These works were supported by a fully integrated service offering, with Freedom responsible for design, engineering and technical management throughout the project lifecycle. Our teams also provided end-to-end project management, ensuring coordination across all disciplines, alongside effective traffic management to enable safe and efficient delivery within the operational environment.
During the groundworks, we uncovered evidence the site had once been used for landfill, leading to NPg to request a more robust foundation solution. We mitigated the problem by using Overburden Drilling EXentric (ODEX) piles. The piling system is designed to penetrate deep bedrock and uses a dual action method to drill and hammer steel casing into the ground. Following NPg’s standards and procedures, we installed 115 ODEX piles to a depth of 25m across most of the site.
Throughout the project, we managed the deadline expectations of the client with the standards and requirements of NPg. We took a safe and agile approach to changes, ensuring compliance was in place before construction continued and working swiftly to reduce the impact on the programme.
Our historical relationship with NPg eased the project along and despite delays caused by the unexpected ground conditions, we handed over the asset within eighteen months.