Key Takeaways

• The Framework: National Grid has named 13 contractors to a new open-ended dynamic market framework covering EPC delivery, M&E installation and major civils for substation works.
• The Pipeline: This sits inside an Ofgem-approved £28.7 billion investment package and a transmission programme that could exceed £70 billion by 2031.
• The Talent Story: With up to 55,000 jobs supported by the Great Grid Upgrade, and the UK clean energy workforce projected to nearly double to 860,000 by 2030, demand for skilled engineers, civils specialists and project leaders is accelerating.
   

A Major Step Forward for UK Substation Delivery

National Grid has named 13 contractors to deliver substation construction and upgrades through a new dynamic market framework. The announcement, first reported by Construction Enquirer, opens what the publication describes as one of the UK's biggest upcoming pipelines of substation work.

The framework is structured across three workstreams.

Lot 1: EPC substation construction. Five firms have been appointed to deliver turnkey schemes typically worth more than £20 million on live 400kV sites: BAM Nuttall, Costain, Laing O'Rourke, Siemens Energy and Skanska.

Lot 2: M&E installation. Five firms will deliver smaller upgrades and extensions: Kirby Group Engineering, Laing O'Rourke, Morson Projects, OCU Utility Services and Siemens Energy.

Lot 3: Major civils. Nine firms will deliver civils packages above £5 million: BAM Nuttall, Costain, Galliford Try, Laing O'Rourke, Skanska, Alpha Construction, Amalgamated Construction, Trant Engineering and Tudorborne.

Laing O'Rourke is the only firm to secure places on all three lots. The framework will be used by both National Grid Electricity Transmission and National Grid Electricity Distribution, with contractors competing for call-off jobs as schemes come to market.
 

Why a "Dynamic Market" Matters

Unlike the closed frameworks the industry is used to, a dynamic market under the Procurement Act 2023 is open-ended. It runs without a fixed end date and must remain open to new suppliers, with capable firms able to apply to join at any point.

For National Grid, that flexibility is the point. The framework was first flagged as a tender notice in February 2026 as part of a wider push to streamline procurement and accelerate delivery of critical infrastructure.

The model is significant for the talent market. By keeping the door open, it lets specialist regional firms (Tudorborne, Trant Engineering and Amalgamated Construction among them) compete alongside global majors. That broadens the supply chain, and it broadens the geographic and skills base behind it.
 

The Wider Backdrop: A Generational Grid Upgrade

The framework lands at a defining moment for UK transmission. In December 2025, Ofgem signed off £28.7 billion of upfront baseline investment under its RIIO-3 final determinations, the price control covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. For electricity transmission alone, £10.7 billion is committed upfront, with Ofgem noting that prospective investment "could be over £70 billion" once in-period mechanisms release further funding.

Akshay Kaul, Director General for Infrastructure at Ofgem, framed the decision in supply chain terms, saying it would "enable early action to strengthen supply chains, accelerate delivery."

That investment underpins The Great Grid Upgrade, described by National Grid as the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations. The programme spans 17 major projects across England and Wales, more than 3,500 km of overhead-line upgrades, and adjacent frameworks including the £8 billion Electricity Transmission Partnership covering around 130 substation projects through 2031.

Carl Trowell, President of Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid, has described the work as "the greatest overhaul of the grid in a generation."
 

What This Means for UK Engineering Talent

Behind every megawatt of new transmission capacity sits a question that matters more to recruiters than to balance sheets. Who is going to build it?

The numbers are striking, and they tell a positive story for engineering professionals.

The Government's Clean Energy Jobs Plan projects that the UK clean energy workforce will nearly double from around 440,000 in 2023 to roughly 860,000 by 2030.

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) forecasts that around 40,000 additional workers will be needed in engineering construction by 2030, on top of the 114,000 already employed.

Energy & Utility Skills goes further, projecting that more than 312,000 new workers will be required across the energy and utilities sector by 2030.

National Grid alone has committed to bringing in more than 2,300 graduates and apprentices over the next five years, with up to 55,000 jobs supported by the Great Grid Upgrade across the country.

Andrew Hockey, CEO of ECITB, has summarised the priority simply, calling on the sector to "increase the pool of people joining the industry."
 

Hiring is Already Underway

Encouragingly, the contractors now sitting on the substation framework are not waiting for the work to start. Many have been ramping up early careers and skilled hiring for months.

Costain has launched its 2026 early careers cycle with up to 170 places, spanning graduates, apprentices and placements, on the back of major nuclear and energy framework wins.

OCU Group's headcount grew from 1,113 to 1,980 in a single year, driven by acquisitions and energy transition demand.

Kirby Group has expanded to more than 1,900 staff with a new offsite manufacturing facility designed to take 25% of project hours offsite.

Galliford Try has been ranked as the UK's number one employer for apprentices and graduates in construction by TheJobCrowd, while Balfour Beatty has pledged to almost triple early careers hiring in its energy business.

Laing O'Rourke's £200 million Centre of Excellence for Modern Construction in Nottinghamshire, the largest pre-assembly facility of its kind in Europe, is already producing modular components designed to make substation construction faster and safer.
 

Roles in Highest Demand

For engineers and construction professionals tracking where to point their careers, the substation framework is a useful map of where demand is heading.

EPC and senior project leadership. EPC project directors, principal electrical engineers, HV protection and control specialists, and substation commissioning engineers. These roles can take seven to eight years to train into, which makes experienced candidates especially valuable.

M&E installation. HV plant engineers, substation fitters, SCADA and instrument technicians, and qualified personnel for live 132kV to 400kV environments.

Major civils. Civils project managers, geotechnical engineers, structural engineers and site managers comfortable with utilities-grade infrastructure.

Underpinning all three. Quantity surveyors, planners, project controls professionals, design engineers and digital engineers supporting BIM and offsite manufacture.
 

Millbank's Perspective

We see this framework as a clear positive for the UK engineering market, both for the firms now in pole position and for the wider talent pipeline that will need to mobilise behind them.

The dynamic market structure rewards capability and capacity. Contractors that invest early in their people will be best placed to win call-offs as they come to market. For candidates, it means more opportunities, in more parts of the country, across more career stages.

For more than 40 years, Millbank has supported the UK's most significant engineering and infrastructure programmes with specialist recruitment that goes beyond the CV. From HV electrical engineers and substation commissioning specialists through to civils project managers and EPC directors, our experience across utilities, energy and infrastructure means we understand exactly what these projects demand.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dynamic market framework, and how is it different from a traditional framework?

A dynamic market under the Procurement Act 2023 is an open-ended pool of pre-qualified suppliers, with no fixed end date. New contractors can apply to join at any time, and individual schemes are competed among qualified members. Traditional frameworks, by contrast, are closed, fixed-term arrangements (typically four to ten years) that lock in a set list of suppliers from day one.

Which contractors won places on National Grid's substation framework?

Thirteen firms in total. EPC substation construction: BAM Nuttall, Costain, Laing O'Rourke, Siemens Energy and Skanska. M&E installation: Kirby Group Engineering, Laing O'Rourke, Morson Projects, OCU Utility Services and Siemens Energy. Major civils: BAM Nuttall, Costain, Galliford Try, Laing O'Rourke, Skanska, Alpha Construction, Amalgamated Construction, Trant Engineering and Tudorborne.

What roles will be in highest demand on UK substation projects through 2031?

HV electrical engineers, protection and control engineers, substation commissioning engineers, EPC project directors, civils project managers, SCADA and instrument technicians, and overhead-line technicians sit at the top of the list. Demand for designers, project controls professionals and digital engineers supporting offsite manufacture is also rising sharply.

How can engineers prepare for opportunities on the Great Grid Upgrade?

Focus on transferable HV competence, project controls credentials and any exposure to live substation environments. National Grid, ECITB and Energy & Utility Skills all run dedicated training pathways, and many of the named contractors have expanded apprenticeship and graduate intakes. Keeping your CV clearly aligned to substation, transmission or HV experience is a practical first step.

How can employers secure the engineering talent needed for this pipeline?

Workforce planning is now as important as project planning. Working with a specialist, sector-experienced recruitment partner gives early access to passive talent, supports compliance, and reduces time-to-hire on critical roles. Millbank's end-to-end consultancy supports clients across contingent recruitment, executive search, managed solutions and compliance.

Partner With the Experts

The Great Grid Upgrade is one of the most exciting talent stories in UK engineering, and the new substation framework is a meaningful step inside it.

For Clients: If you are mobilising teams against this pipeline, our specialist consultancy provides end-to-end support. Contact our team today to discuss your talent strategy.

For Candidates: If you are an engineer ready to leave your mark on a generational programme of work, we are always available for a chat. Submit your CV today, or view our latest roles.