BIRMINGHAM, England — National Grid has awarded engineering-led construction firm Burns & McDonnell an engineer-procure-construct (EPC) contract for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of an extension to National Grid’s 275-kV substation in Oldbury, West Midlands.

This project, which Burns & McDonnell will deliver under National Grid’s RIIO T2 EPC construction Framework for Substations, will help to prepare the West Midlands’ electricity infrastructure for the transition to net zero. This upgrade will improve capacity within the local electricity network for greater adoption of electric vehicles and the connection of significantly more renewable energy sources, helping to deliver long-term energy security.

The project site in Oldbury is less than 5 miles from the Birmingham headquarters of Burns & McDonnell. As the first major construction project the firm will carry out in the West Midlands, it will contribute to improvements to the regional infrastructure on which it relies.

Burns & McDonnell was selected to be part of the RIIO T2 EPC construction Framework for Substations in February 2021. The framework will last a minimum of five years.

This is the second major contract award for Burns & McDonnell from National Grid under the framework. In October 2021, the firm secured a contract for design, supply, installation and commissioning of a 400-kV gas-insulated substation in Yaxley, Suffolk.

Jonathan Chapman, U.K. Managing Director, Burns & McDonnell, said:

“I’m proud that Burns & McDonnell will partner with National Grid to deliver a second key project on this framework. Birmingham is our first home in the U.K., so we are proud to help deliver the improvements that will power this region for future generations.”

Since expanding into the U.K., Burns & McDonnell has more than tripled the size of its British team. It added a London-based business practice focusing on mission-critical projects in 2020 and is expanding its footprint in Scotland.

Burns & McDonnell already works extensively with National Grid in the United States, where the engineering firm is headquartered.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a private, employee-owned engineering, design and construction firm with 10,000 professionals located in offices throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employees.

We develop solutions through creating passionate partnerships, placing client service front and centre, understanding clients’ needs and striving to make them successful. Our employee ownership culture means that 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.