Project Overview
National Grid’s London Power Tunnels (LPT) programme was developed to secure the capital’s future energy needs while supporting the transition to renewable power sources.
The multi‑year project involved constructing three deep-level tunnels – reaching depths of up to 60 metres and stretching over 20 miles – to house high‑voltage (HV) transmission cables capable of delivering up to 20% of London’s electricity demand.
To ensure these critical assets could operate safely and efficiently, PDS was contracted to deliver a robust SCADA system to oversee and control a wide range of essential subsystems, forming the operational backbone of the tunnel environment.
The Challenge
The project required a unified control and monitoring solution capable of managing a diverse and safety critical suite of subsystems.
Key challenges included:
- Coordinating the management of ventilation, gas detection, radio, drainage and fire detection across an expansive tunnel network.
- Ensuring reliable temperature regulation to prevent HV cable overheating and maintain safe operating conditions.
- Integrating equipment installed within 12 headhouses, each containing dedicated fans or dampers to maintain ambient tunnel temperatures.
- Delivering a SCADA system with extremely high availability, suitable for a harsh industrial environment.
- Providing dual redundancy to safeguard against system failure and minimise operational risk.
- Ensuring a smooth, multi-phase rollout over several years with multiple contractors involved.
The Solution
PDS delivered a high‑integrity SCADA solution engineered to provide continuous visibility, control and automated protection across the entire tunnel system.
Comprehensive SCADA Platform
- Full monitoring and control of all major subsystems:
Ventilation, Gas Detection, Radio, Drainage, Fire Detection and more. - Real‑time status presentation for all fans and dampers within the 12 headhouses.
- Insight into tunnel environmental conditions, enabling preventative action and optimal operational planning.
High‑Integrity Control Architecture
- A dual redundant PLC system delivering both automatic and manual control for all equipment.
- A hot‑standby, dual‑server configuration ensuring seamless failover and continuous system availability.
- Designed for unattended operation in a demanding industrial environment.
- Supports switching, alarm management and operational safety functions with exceptional reliability.
Collaborative Delivery
- Close partnership with VVB Engineering (M&E), Costain (Civils) and National Grid throughout the multi‑year deployment.
- Fully coordinated, phased integration ensuring minimal disruption and consistent progress toward commissioning.
- A long‑term, scalable control framework supporting continued operation for millions of end users.
John Johnson“PDS delivered the SCADA system on the National Grid London Power Tunnels Project, through the M&E contractor, VVB Engineering LTD. Through a fully coordinated approach, VVB and PDS delivered the SCADA and M&E systems to budget and ahead of program.”
TMIET – WB Commissioning Manager
Conclusion
PDS’s high‑availability SCADA solution has strengthened the operational resilience of the London Power Tunnels, ensuring safe temperatures, reliable subsystem control and continuous oversight of critical HV infrastructure.
Contact Us
PDS delivers proven high‑availability SCADA and control solutions built for demanding environments.
Get in touch to find out how we can support your next critical infrastructure project.
