Port power upgrade completes
SP Energy Networks, part of Scottish Power, has connected a new 50 megavolt power network to Port of Liverpool ahead of the opening of Peel Ports' deep-water river terminal later this year.
The power installation took three years to deliver and is one of the largest private electricity connections in the UK of recent years.
The work has more than doubled the power capacity of the port from 20MVA (megavolt amperes) to 50 MVA.
The work included creating an 8km 132,000 volt grid connection at Aintree, directional drilling also known as micro-tunnelling 700 metres at 27 metre depth under the Switch Island traffic junction to avoid disruption from construction activity and installing a new substation at Litherland, close to the Port of Liverpool.
The upgrade was required as part of Peel Ports' plan to create the £300m container terminal that will more than double Liverpool's container capacity from 750,000 containers to 1.5m containers a year.
There have also been extensive works at the Port of Liverpool itself, managed by Peel Ports. This has included installing a new substation, plus a 33,000 volt ring main and fibre optic cabling that both circle the whole site.
Doug Coleman, construction director of Liverpool2, said: "This investment underlines the scale of our commitment to providing reliable and modern services for our current and future customers. The new energy network will supply the new container terminal as well as giving greater resilience to our whole operation at the Port of Liverpool. It's a huge milestone for us as we continue work to create a new gateway facility that will help global shippers trade with the UK by reducing costs, carbon emissions and congestion in the supply chain."
Stephen Stewart, director of SP Energy, added: "Connections such as this are very significant events in the UK's energy infrastructure and it's certainly one of the biggest projects of its kind. So we're delighted that all the hard work and planning has successfully delivered the new supply to the port and credit must go to the whole team of engineers and technical staff in both organisations who have achieved this."
