The third and final stage of its £59bn supply chain framework awards for the Great Grid Upgrade follows cabling and converter station deals announced earlier this year.

Six HVDC converter civil works suppliers have been awarded positions on Lot 1 of the Framework Agreement totalling approximately £9bn.

The winners are: Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska and Taylor Woodrow.

In addition, three HVDC onshore cable civil works suppliers have been awarded places on Lot 2 of the Framework, worth an estimated £3.7bn.

They are Balfour Beatty, Murphy, and VolkerFitzpatrick.

Contracts have been secured for a five-year period, with the potential to extend for a further three years. Both Frameworks cover confirmed and anticipated projects, including Eastern Green Link 4, in partnership with SP Energy Networks and LionLink in partnership with TenneT.

The first tender under the new HVDC civils framework will shortly be underway for the shared southern works required for Eastern Green Link 3 and Eastern Green Link 4.

Zac Richardson, Chief Engineer and Offshore Delivery Director of Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid, said: “This marks a major step forward in delivering the UK’s future energy network.

“This investment not only underpins the transition to a more secure, independent and low-carbon energy future, but will also support tens of thousands of UK jobs, boost regional supply chains and strengthen our construction and engineering sectors.

“By building strategic, long-term partnerships with leading UK-based contractors, we’re ensuring the UK is ready to meet the growing demand for electricity with a resilient and modern network.”