BIRMINGHAM, England — Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission has awarded engineering, construction and design firm Burns & McDonnell a contract for the development of technical requirements for parts of their high-voltage direct current (HVDC) projects.

The technical consultancy will be the first HVDC project engagement undertaken by Burns & McDonnell in the U.K. The project scope includes development of technical requirements for the design of HVDC switching stations. Marianne Goldsborough, HVDC business leader, will lead an experienced group of professionals from the company’s U.S. team to deliver the work. She has significant experience developing, implementing and operating HVDC assets within electric utility systems.

The technical requirements will be critical for the future success of SSEN Transmission’s HVDC and network systems, allowing Burns & McDonnell to deepen its partnership with SSEN Transmission as it expands its presence in the U.K. The company has been operating in the U.S. for over 120 years and opened its first U.K. office in 2017. Since then, it has opened new offices in London and Motherwell, Scotland, and tripled the size of its U.K. team.

Jonathan Chapman, UK Managing Director, Burns & McDonnell, said:

“It’s another significant milestone for the company, having been chosen to deliver this first piece of HVDC work for SSEN Transmission in the U.K., and we are excited to strengthen our relationship with a key strategic client. 

“We have done a great job of growing our presence and it’s exciting that we’re starting to show our partners here the full range of what we can do. This is a market which is experiencing significant growth and demand, and we will provide the same innovative service that we have elsewhere.”

Marianne Goldsborough, U.S. HVDC Business Leader, said:

“I’m delighted that we are offering and winning HVDC work in the U.K., and I know that network operators will really value the wealth of talent we have in our team. This is a really exciting time to be working on U.K. energy infrastructure, as grid operators work to integrate new forms of power generation.

“I’m excited to engage with our U.K. partners as we address the challenges ahead.”

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a private, employee-owned engineering, design and construction firm with 10,000 engineers, construction and craft professionals, architects and more located in offices throughout the world. 

We develop solutions through creating passionate partnerships, placing client service front and centre, understanding clients’ needs and striving to make them successful. As a private, employee-owned firm, our success is closely aligned to our clients’ success. We are bold in how we develop solutions and challenge the norm, drawing from the whole company to find answers to some of the toughest questions. We work on some of the world’s most crucial infrastructure projects, delivering completely integrated service from concept to completion.

In 2017, Burns & McDonnell opened the U.K. office in Birmingham. With more than 120 years of experience designing and building infrastructure throughout the world, Burns & McDonnell is now taking forward a long-term investment plan in the U.K.

With the U.K. energy market undergoing a transformation, our focus is on providing a differentiated service across technical consultancy, engineering services and project delivery as the U.K. adapts to a low carbon future underpinned by smart technologies.