Costain and Arcadis have been included in a four-strong shortlist of preferred bidders for HS2's £523m high voltage (HV) power supply systems contract.  

The winning organisations will go on to deliver electrical systems covering 280km of the UK's new high speed rail link, with the contract covering the design and construction between London, Birmingham and Crewe, where HS2 trains will join the existing West Coast Mainline.

The following organisations will be invited to tender:

• Colas / Eiffage Joint Venture;
• Siemens Ltd / Costain Ltd Joint Venture;
• SSE Enterprise Contracting / Linxon / Arcadis Joint Venture;
• UK Power Networks Services (Contracting) Ltd.

The winner of the contract – worth an estimated £523m - will be responsible for the design as well as manufacture, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of the HV power supply systems.

Approximately 50 traction sub-stations will be built alongside the line between London and Crewe in order to deliver power from the National Grid to the trains. The contractor will also deliver a dedicated HV non-traction power network that will provide power to stations, shafts, portals, depots and railway systems along the route.

The successful tenderer will be responsible for design and will be expected to work closely with HS2’s other rail systems suppliers to ensure integration of its design and throughout construction, testing and commissioning.

David Poole, HS2 Ltd’s procurement and commercial director, said: “The shortlist for high voltage power supply systems is another major milestone as we put in place the key rail systems teams that will take over once the civil engineering stage is finished.

“Once complete, HS2 will be one of the lowest carbon ways to travel, freeing up more capacity on the existing rail network and helping to take cars and lorries off the roads. Our power supply systems are a crucial part of the project and part of a solution which will help the UK reach net zero by 2050.”

The HV Power Systems will be a single stage procurement, with the successful tenderer delivering two separate contracts covering Design & Build and Maintenance services within Phase One and Phase 2a - from London to Crewe, where HS2 services will join the existing west coast main line. 

The traction power sub-stations are located at multidisciplinary Railway Systems Compounds which are situated in the open route section of the line. The contractor will assume the role of Principal Contractor within these compounds. The successful tenderer will be expected to work closely with HS2’s other rail systems suppliers to ensure integration of its design and throughout construction, testing and commissioning.

Contracts are expected to be awarded in 2022.