Construction of Thames Electricity Tunnel Reaches Midway Point
National Grid's 2.2-kilometer electricity cable project beneath the River Thames has completed more than half of its tunneling distance.
National Grid has reached the halfway point in constructing a new 2.2-kilometer high-voltage cable tunnel beneath the River Thames, according to Rigzone. Since excavation commenced in May, workers have removed over 40,000 tons of debris and placed more than 5,100 concrete segments to line the structure. The project utilize a 464-ton boring machine specifically engineered to manage the difficult soil conditions found under the waterway between Grain and Tilbury.
The new infrastructure is designed to replace an existing tunnel that has been operational since the late 1960s and is now reaching the end of its functional lifespan. This build is part of a broader network expansion known as the Great Grid Upgrade, which encompasses 17 separate infrastructure projects. The initiative aims to modernize the grid across England, Scotland, and Wales to better integrate renewable energy sources into the national power supply.
National Grid also confirmed that it recently secured planning permission for three substations in Nottinghamshire and near Chesterfield to support overhead line improvements. These developments are part of a wider investment strategy that involves billions of pounds in network upgrades. The company expects to renovate approximately 3,500 kilometers of transmission lines by 2031 to meet rising electricity demand and facilitate new connections for data centers and digital industries.
The utility noted that the tunneling team recently set a record by installing 29 rings within a single 24-hour window. This phase of the project follows the use of specialized vertical shaft sinking machinery at the Tilbury and Gravesend sites. National Grid indicated that the boring machine, named after engineer Caroline Haslett, is operating safely in what it described as "the challenging ground conditions beneath the Thames."
Editorial Desk — Trade Flow Insight. Reporting and market notes compiled by the Trade Flow Insight editorial team.
Cobertura relacionada
Europa se prepara para una crisis energética invernal ante las bajas reservas de gas
Tras meses de precios energéticos elevados, Europa puede esperar que los costos del combustible sigan subiendo durante los meses de invierno a medida que crece la demanda. Se espera que las restricciones continuas al comercio de energía y las amenazas a la infraestructura energética en todo Oriente Medio limiten los suministros mundiales y sigan impulsando los precios al alza, golpeando duramente a los consumidores a menos que los gobiernos intervengan. Se estima que la Unión Europea (UE) ha pagado 100.000 millones de euros adicionales en petróleo y gas en lo que va de año, lo que ha llevado a
El petróleo avanza en medio de riesgos de guerra y huracanes
Los precios del petróleo subieron ligeramente a medida que los ataques a buques cisterna en Oriente Medio y el huracán Isaias aumentaron las preocupaciones sobre el suministro.
Australia publicará el plan definitivo para mantener más GNL en el mercado interno
Australia está lista para revelar la versión final de un controvertido plan para obligar a los productores de gas natural licuado a reservar hasta una quinta parte de su producción para compradores locales.