Gatwick Airport, 11kV reinforcement project (to 40MVA)

Gatwick Airport, 11kV reinforcement project (to 40MVA)

The project required the delivery of new 33kV supplies to Gatwick airport to permit the increased summer electrical loads (primarily air-conditioning) to be catered for and to safeguard for future increase in passenger throughput. Security of supply to the airport would also be increased by bringing the new supplies in from a different part of the grid.

As part of the reinforcement, dual 33kV supplies were to be brought in by the Regional Electricity Company to a new 33/11kV substation located airside in the centre of the airfield. Work was required to be undertaken by the REC at the local feeder substation. Phase 2 of the project involved the transfer of some to the existing loads to the new substation and the availability of power for a terminal extension project.

Firstco's brief was to project manage the work undertaken by the Regional Electricity Company off-airport, the installation of the feeder cables under the runway and the construction and commissioning of the new 33/11kV substation.

The initial activities were to confirm the full requirement for the future capacity of the airport and to find a suitable location for the new substation that fitted with the master redevelopment plan for the Gatwick.

Once the brief had been established, attention was turned to the formation of the delivery team - the appointment of the Structural Designer and the Planning Supervisor and the drawing up of the overall cost plan and programme of works. The REC undertook the planning activities for the cable routes to the Airport.