National Grid Reach Cabling Milestone

National Grid reach cabling milestone

National Grid has reached the halfway point in the construction of a new 2.2km high-voltage electricity cable tunnel between Essex and Kent. So far, the Tilbury to Gravesend tunnel boring machine (TBM) has progressed more than 1.1km beneath the River Thames.  Since tunnelling began in May, more than 40,000 tonnes of material have been excavated and over 5,100 pre-cast concrete tunnel segments have been installed to form the tunnel lining. Mark F…

National Grid News 20 Aug 2026 National Grid reaches halfway point in construction of new River Thames electricity tunnel

National Grid has reached the halfway point in the construction of a new 2.2km high-voltage electricity cable tunnel between Tilbury in Essex and Gravesend in Kent, with tunnel boring machine (TBM) Caroline progressing more than 1.1km beneath the River Thames. This achievement marks a significant step in replacing the existing Thames Cable Tunnel, which has been in service since the late 1960s and is approaching the end of its operational life. …