HS2 has awarded a major contract worth £400m to the infrastructure solutions company Costain to deliver mechanical and electrical systems for HS2.

Under the contract, Costain will deliver critical tunnel and lineside mechanical and electrical systems for the UK’s new high-speed rail link. Costain will be responsible for the design, supply, manufacture, installation, testing, and commissioning of the tunnel and lineside mechanical and electrical systems during construction of HS2.

Costain will start work on the seven-year contract in the first quarter of next year. The contract is for a minimum of £400m for the initial seven-year period, but there is an option for additional contract extensions.

Included in the mechanical and electrical systems installation are services within the tunnels, and cross-passages, low voltage power services, and distribution on the open part of the route. Also in the contract is the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the tunnel ventilation systems.

To deliver the contract will require complex project and programme delivery, systems engineering, integration, and supply chain collaboration. Costain has the requisite experience in delivering high-quality mechanical and electrical systems through its portfolio of road, rail, and water projects, including Crossrail and the London Power Tunnels.

In an attempt to automate and improve the efficiency and safety of installing mechanical and electrical systems in tunnels, Costain has recently been trialling cutting edge AI robotics technology. To determine whether the cost and efficiency of tunnel-fit outs could be improved, it has extended the trials to include real-time digital assurance at the point of installation.

Before Costain can start work, however, the tunnels have to be built. Four tunnel boring machines are now at work excavating tunnels under London, and half of the excavation and building work for the Bromford Tunnel in Birmingham is also complete.

“Costain has a long-standing involvement with the UK’s largest strategic infrastructure programme and this new award is testament to the strength of our collaborative and successful relationship with HS2. Our teams will draw on their experience and expertise in delivering world-class M&E systems, for example on Crossrail, and will use the latest technology to drive efficiency. HS2 will be transformational for UK connectivity, freeing up capacity on the existing rail network and alleviating road traffic and congestion. It’s a project that will continue to create jobs, develop skills and drive prosperity long after construction.”

Alex Vaughan, CEO, Costain