No delays despite firm’s collapse

‘National Grid has contingency plans in place for all its projects with Carillion, using alternative suppliers if necessary’

National Grid says its controversial scheme to erect 60 towering pylons between Richborough and Canterbury will continue despite the collapse of contractor Carillion.

The firm, which went bust earlier this week, had been awarded a £34 million contract to help create a new high-capacity link through the east Kent countryside called the Richborough Connection.

Its high-profile slump into administration with debts of £1.5bn has cast a shadow over the many contracts it held nationwide – among them the management of hospitals, prisons and other major publiclyfunded facilities.

Despite the turn of events, National Grid insists the Richborough Connection project will continue with the “minimum of disruption”.

Company spokesman Jeanette Unsworth said: “National Grid has contingency plans in place for all its projects with Carillion, using alternative suppliers if necessary.

“We believe that these plans mean we will be able to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

The project, which has an overall cost of £168m, also includes the removal of 79 smaller existing pylons which are not capable of handling the demands of the new high capacity connection.

Preparatory work on the scheme started in October and included the setting up of site offices and the clearing of vegetation along the corridor of the new pylons which will pass by the villages of Sarre, Upstreet, Hersden, Westbere and Broad Oak.

At the time the contract was awarded to Carillion, its infrastructure business managing director Mark Davies said: “Being chosen to deliver this important project, which is the first new-build overhead line project of this scale to be constructed in England for many years, reflects our reputation for reliable delivery, high standards of quality, value for money, innovation and sustainability, together with the strength of our long-term customer relationships.”

The scheme was given the goahead by the government fol- lowing a lengthy public inquiry despite widespread concerns about the impact of the 45-metre pylons on the countryside.

The pylons link power pumped under the Channel from Belgium to a new sub-station at Richborough – known as the Nemo Link – to the National Grid at Broad Oak.

On Monday, National Grid is due to update the city council’s Rural Area Member Panel on the project’s progress.

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Dozens of pylons will still be put up between Canterbury and Richborough