Relocation of 132kV UKPN Cut Throat Lane Switching Station

Description

East West Rail Co. (The Authority) is delivering the East West Rail programme, a nationally significant infrastructure project providing new and upgraded rail connections between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. As part of the delivery of the proposed six-track railway corridor north of Bedford, the railway infrastructure interfaces with existing 132kV electricity distribution assets owned and operated by UK Power Networks Operations Ltd at the Fairfield Park / Cut Throat Lane Switching Station north of Bedford. The existing switching station lies within the footprint of the proposed railway works and must be relocated to enable construction of the railway. The contract comprises the design, decommissioning, relocation, installation, testing and commissioning of a replacement 132kV switching station, together with all associated electrical, civil and enabling works required to maintain network resilience and continuity of supply, and to facilitate the transfer of services from the existing installation to the replacement facility. The requirement comprises non-contestable electricity network works that may only be undertaken by the licensed Distribution Network Operator in accordance with the statutory framework established under the Electricity Act 1989 (as amended). As the owner, operator and licensed Distribution Network Operator for the affected network assets, UK Power Networks Operations Ltd is the only organisation with the legal authority and technical responsibility to undertake the required works. Accordingly, competition is absent for technical and exclusive rights reasons. The Authority therefore intends to award the contract directly to UK Power Networks Operations Ltd. The Authority considers that the conditions for a direct award under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (a) and (b) of the Procurement Act 2023 are satisfied, as the works can only be supplied by a particular supplier due to the absence of competition arising from exclusive rights.

Key facts

Procedure

Direct award

Lots

1

Contact

Commercial@eastwestrail.co.uk

Contract period

20 Nov 2026 → 19 Nov 2033

Value incl. VAT

£26m

Category

works

Awarded suppliers

• UK Power Networks Operations Ltd · GB-COH-03870728 · UKI44, GB

Ground given for limiting competition

The buyer’s own stated reason for awarding without open competition, as published. Their assertion, not a finding.

The works constitute non-contestable electricity network works under the statutory framework established by the Electricity Act 1989 (as amended). As the licensed Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for the relevant network area and owner/operator of the affected assets, UK Power Networks Operations Ltd is the only organisation authorised to undertake the required works due to having exclusive rights over the affected network assets. The direct award is consequently justified under Schedule 5, Paragraph 5 (a) and (b) of the Procurement Act 2023: (a) due to a particular supplier having intellectual property rights or other exclusive rights, only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.