NIE Networks £83M civils framework: scope and delivery notes for project teams
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on New Civil Engineer
30 Second Briefing
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks has launched procurement for an £83M multi-year civil engineering framework to support upgrades and new builds across its electricity distribution and transmission assets. The framework is expected to cover substation platforms, cable trenching, ducting, foundations and associated earthworks for overhead lines and underground cables across Northern Ireland. Contractors will need capability for large-volume excavation, backfilling and concrete works in live network environments, with programmes likely driven by grid reinforcement for renewables connections and resilience improvements.
Technical Brief
- Contractors will need proven experience working under utility-specific safety rules and permit-to-work systems.
Our Take
Within our 630 Infrastructure stories, Northern Ireland appears far less frequently than regions in Great Britain, so an NIE Networks civils framework of this scale is likely to set benchmark rates and standards for other utilities in the province.
For contractors, multi‑year frameworks of this size in Northern Ireland typically favour firms that can self‑deliver both urban streetworks and rural access solutions, which can influence fleet choices (e.g. trenchless kit, traffic management capability) more than one‑off project awards.
Given the absence of commodities or specific assets in the brief, this framework is likely to bundle a wide mix of minor works, which in our database often leads to a heavier emphasis on programme management and digital work-order systems than on bespoke engineering design.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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