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Project: EGL2 Ducting Installation – Peterhead

Key Project Details

Client:

  • NKT

Project: EGL2 (Eastern Green Link 2) Ducting Installation

Location: Peterhead

Start date:

  • March 2026

End Date

Duration:

  • 5 months

Contract Value:

  • £1.5m

The Challenge

Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is the largest ever project in the UK transmission system—a 505-kilometre subsea electricity link connecting Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in England via a 2GW HVDC cable. As part of this nationally significant infrastructure scheme, Aaron Engineering Group was required to install cable ducting infrastructure at Peterhead to connect an SSE substation through to a new DC converter station. The project demanded installation of two separate 400kV circuits (Circuit 1: 610m and Circuit 2: 600m), each requiring different ducting specifications and troughing systems that crossed the site at different points and connected to two horizontal directional drills. The works required meticulous planning, coordination, and execution to ensure alignment with programme and quality expectations whilst working within complex site constraints and maintaining the highest safety standards on this critical national infrastructure project.

What We Did

Aaron Engineering Group was procured by NKT to deliver comprehensive ducting installation works between March and August 2026. Our scope included:

Cable Ducting Installation:

  • Installation of 110mm multipath fibre ducting Class 1 PVC across both circuits
  • Installation of 110mm Class 1 PVC ducting
  • Installation of 250mm Class 1 PVC ducting for cable containment
  • Installation of 25mm ID ducting for temperature sensing equipment
  • Total linear installation: 1210m, with 7260m of ducting installed across the two circuits

Excavation and Groundworks:

  • Innovative excavation methods using V bucket attachments fitted to excavators to ensure safe excavation at correct angle of repose
  • GPS-VRS systems integrated into excavator cabs to allow circuit routes and levels to be inputted directly into machines, enabling precise excavation and monitoring from the cab
  • Safe working practices implemented throughout all excavation activities

Site Management and Sustainability:

  • All construction plant complied with Euro 6 emissions standards to minimise environmental impact
  • Paperless site management system implemented to reduce paper use and increase efficiency
  • Digital reporting, inspections, and record management to reduce waste and improve project traceability

Works were delivered with strong safety leadership, robust procedures, and proactive safety culture throughout all activities.

The Outcome

  • Two 400kV circuits successfully installed with ducting and troughing systems complete
  • 1210m of linear ducting installed with precision alignment to circuit routes
  • 7260m of total ducting installed across varying specifications (110mm multipath fibre, 110mm Class 1 PVC, 250mm Class 1 PVC, 25mm ID sensing ducts)
  • Over 3,000 hours worked with zero accidents and only 1 minor incident recorded
  • All circuits connected to SSE substation and DC converter station as designed
  • Works delivered to programme and quality expectations
  • Euro 6 emissions compliance achieved across all plant and equipment
  • Digital site management and traceability systems implemented successfully

Added Value

This project demonstrates Aaron Engineering Group’s capability to deliver critical infrastructure ducting works on the UK’s largest transmission system project. Through innovative application of modern installation techniques—including GPS-VRS excavator systems and custom V bucket solutions—our teams ensured precise, safe excavation and duct installation within complex site constraints. The integration of digital systems for monitoring, reporting, and site management, combined with our commitment to sustainability through Euro 6 compliance and paperless operations, showcases how forward-thinking approaches enhance efficiency, accuracy, and delivery performance. The delivery of this critical cable infrastructure at Peterhead demonstrates Aaron’s technical excellence and contributes directly to the EGL2 project’s objectives of enhancing the UK’s renewable energy transmission capability and supporting clean energy targets.