Omexom at the centre of modernising the British power supply network
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The United Kingdom is significantly upgrading its power supply networks to meet climate challenges. Omexom, the VINCI Energies’ energy infrastructure brand, is playing a key role in this transformation with major projects in Scotland and England.
Two years ago, the United Kingdom launched a major transformation of its energy infrastructure to meet climate and energy security challenges, and to manage growth in renewable energy production. Central to this transition is National Grid’s vast network modernisation programme in England and Wales and SSEN (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) Transmission’s project in Scotland. Omexom, the VINCI Energies’ energy infrastructure brand, is playing a central role in several key projects in Scotland and England.
Scotland leading the way
Scotland is preparing to play a key role in achieving Britain’s climate objectives. SSEN Transmission’s ASTI (Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment) programme will invest an estimated £10 billion in northern Scotland to connect 11 GW of offshore wind capacity from the ScotWind programme.
“Omexom was one of the 11 companies selected for the development of this new onshore electricity transmission infrastructure,” says Simon Innis, Managing Director of Omexom UK & RoI. The business unit was assigned three major projects to improve network resilience: the construction of a new 22-bay 400 kV AIS substation (Emmock) covering almost 90 hectares in Tealing; the complete replacement of existing 275 kV equipment with a 400 kV GIS substation and the creation of a new 60,000 sq. metre facility in Fort Augustus; and the extension of an existing 2-bay 400 kV substation in Kintore.
Collaborative model in England and Wales
National Grid launched its own Great Grid Partnership (GGP) programme with a planned £9 billion investment over seven years in England and Wales. This ambitious programme is based on a collaborative model named “Enterprise”, which aims to link long-term industrial partners to nine strategic electricity transmission projects.
A major transformation of energy infrastructure in the United Kingdom
Omexom UK was appointed as one of the seven companies forming part of the GGP,through its joint venture, OTW, with the civil engineering company and VINCI Construction subsidiary Taylor Woodrow. “The projects assigned to Omexom mostly involve transmission line work,” says Simon Innis. “These include West Burton (renovation of a transmission line for 2027) and Bramford (a similar project), plus the development of a new substation in Friston, and other longer-term projects scheduled for implementation between 2026 and 2032, including overhead lines, cables and substations.”
Local and international expertise
“To support these activities, we are planning to gradually strengthen our workforce with local resources, apprentices trained at our Omexom Institute, and international personnel, including from the Czech Republic and Spain,” explains Simon Innis. “These skills will mainly be mobilised for the major Norwich–Tilbury and Grimsby–Walpole projects planned for 2028.”
This positions Omexom as a key player in the decarbonisation of the British energy system. Omexom is applying its local and international expertise, investing in training the next generation of technicians, and contributing to the construction of a cleaner, more resilient power supply network, to help the United Kingdom meet its target of carbon neutrality by 2050.
01/15/2026
