Services: Design Services

Power system designers for projects up to 132kV

Our highly experienced Power System Design team is well equipped to deliver a complete range of civil and electrical design and project consultancy services. Encompassing standalone solutions – including initial feasibility studies, specifications, design and negotiation of Grid and Primary substation connections, plus electrical protection and control schemes – as well as full civil and structural design packages. We deliver projects safely and efficiently to meet our customers’ requirements.

With an in-house team of CAD and electrical engineering experts – possessing many years’ experience of working with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), Distribution System Operators (DSOs), private network operators and renewable energy providers – we hold full Lloyds NERS accreditation for the following design activities:

• Design of cable networks from 11kV to 132kV
• Design of substations from 11kV to 132kV
• Design of LV cable networks to industrial and commercial properties

Our comprehensive portfolio of design services includes:

• Grid and Primary substation electrical layout designs for DNOs, DSOs, private networks and generation connections – up to and including 132kV
• Design of electrical protection, control and G59 generator interface schemes – up to and including 132kV
• Production of general arrangements drawings, schematic diagrams and wiring diagrams for protection and control relay panels
• SCADA system design and control system interfacing
• Full substation civil and structural substation design packages
• Circuit designs for electrical connections – up to and including 132kV
• Cable route and directional drilling evaluation, GPR mapping and utility searches
• Earthing soil resistivity surveys, earthing system modelling and earthing layout designs
• Design checking of civil, electrical, and protection and control systems
• Preparation of technical reports, calculations and project-specific functional specifications
• Full CAD services using AutoCAD software packages
• EPC design services to customer networks

Power system and network design

From initial concept design to final detailed ‘for construction’ packages, we offer a complete civil and electrical design service. Our specialist engineers have extensive experience in the design and construction of electrical infrastructure distribution systems up to 132kV, and can offer an appropriate solution to any network project. We have experience of working directly for many of the UK’s DNOs and DSOs, with a growing portfolio of completed renewable energy assignments – including battery storage, wind and STOR projects, in addition to conventional load schemes.

Ranging from LV up to 132kV, our network design services cover:

Low voltage networks

• LV network feasibility studies
• LV load flow and fault level analysis
• Earth loop impedance on the LV system
• Calculation of section and terminal volt drops on LV systems
• Application of Engineering Recommendation – G5/4 and P28 (disturbing loads)
• Protective device selection and coordination studies
• Implementation and selection of LV cabling
• Implementation and selection of package and distribution switchgear
• Application of earthing policies to substations and LV systems

11kV networks

• Feasibility studies
• Load flow and fault level analysis
• Application of Engineering Recommendation – P2/6 (network security), G5/4 and P28 (disturbing loads)
• Calculation of prospective short circuit levels on the network – ensuring switchgear/plant is not overstressed
• Calculation of volt drops on 11kV systems – ensuring compliance with design parameters
• Protective device selection and coordination studies
• Design and selection of 11kV cabling
• Selection of package and distribution switchgear
• Application of earthing policies to substations and 11kV systems
• Applications engineering to plant and substation equipment

33kV networks

• Feasibility studies
• Load flow and fault level analysis on the 33kV system
• Application of Engineering Recommendation – P2/6 (network security), G5/4 and P28 (disturbing loads)
• Calculation of prospective short circuit levels on the network – ensuring switchgear/plant is not overstressed
• Calculation of volt drops on 33kV systems – ensuring compliance with design parameters
• Protective device selection and coordination studies
• Design and selection of 33kV cabling
• Selection of distribution switchgear
• Application of earthing policies to substations and 33kV systems
• Applications engineering to plant and substation equipment

66kV and 132kV networks

• Feasibility studies
• Load flow and fault level analysis on the 66kV and 132kV system
• Insulation co-ordination studies
• Application of Engineering Recommendation – P2/6 (network analysis studies), G5/4 and P28 (disturbing loads)
• Calculation of prospective short circuit levels on the network – ensuring switchgear/plant is not overstressed
• Protective device selection and coordination studies
• Design and selection of 66kV and 132kV cabling, bonding and accessories
• Implementation and selection of package and distribution switchgear
• Application of earthing policies to substations and 66kV and 132kV systems
• Applications engineering to plant and substation equipment
• Civil and structural engineering design
• Earthing system design
• Electrical plant and substation layouts

Civil engineering design capability

• Roadway and drainage systems
• Feasibility studies
• Planning drawings
• Initiation and supervision of geotechnical surveys
• Interpretation of geotechnical surveys into civil design
• Structural engineering to civil design
• Transformer bund GAs, plans and elevations
• Reinforcement schedules
• Switchroom building foundation details
• Switchgear building design – including brick and other materials
• Switchgear support steelwork design
• Surface and foul drainage
• Fencing design
• Switchgear and structure base design
• Roadway construction
• SUDS systems
• Transformer skid ways and temporary works design (below ground)

Primary electrical capability

• Site electrical layout design
• Auxiliary supplies design
• Standby generator connection design and specification
• Electrical clearance (P-P and P-E)
• Specification to plant and substation equipment
• Earthing system design and specification
• High frequency earthing design
• Detailed design to electrical support structures
• Multicore cabling layouts and schedules
• Heating, lighting and ventilation design
• Bar and clamp design and schedules
• Cable system design – up to and including 132kV
• Joint bay design for 132kV+/temporary works
• Earthing/earthing link box specification and design
• Transformer, switchboard and plant specification
• Staging drawings
• Modified tower designs to accept CSE platforms

Electrical protection and control capability

• Main connections and protection SLD
• Cable block diagram of all multicore and multipair cables
• Telecontrol schedules
• Standby generator control and interface design
• Cable schedule of all multicore and multipair cables
• AVC system design and specification
• Intertripping system design
• Switchboard termination diagrams
• SCADA and telecontrol I/O schedule
• Relay panels GA design, wiring diagrams and schematics
• Marshalling cubicle GA design and wiring diagrams
• Relay selection, specification and ordering
• AC/DC schematic wiring diagrams
• Coordination and integration of plant manufacturers’ drawings into scheme
• Interlocking systems design
• Integration of protection into existing systems

Expertise you can trust

Our in-house team of designers will assume responsibility for the entire design process – ensuring every last detail is taken into account. And when it comes to the engineering, procurement and construction phase, we can handle that as well. We’re a certified Independent Connection Provider (ICP) with decades of experience in high voltage engineering, so whether you’re looking for an approved contractor to manage your entire project – or just take care of the design elements – you’ve found the right team.