In the UK, Morgan Est has won the US$105M contract to design, build and commission the 10km long Beddington – Rowdown cable tunnel in Croydon for National Grid (T&TI, June 2005, p6).

Built to house a single circuit of 400kV cables, the 3m diameter tunnel will be excavated at depths varying between 25m and 80m. It is required to replace two 275kV cables embedded in a local highway that are nearing the end of their operational life. As well as the tunnel Morgan will also construct four shafts, two culverts and four shaft headhouse buildings.

Graham Grundon, Morgan EST managing director, said he was delighted with the news as they considered National Grid a key client. He added: “We are the only UK contractor to offer an in-house tunnel design team and also operate our own state-of-the-art segment manufacturing facility in Kent.”