Member Article

Principal contractor in place to build £14m North Tees energy centre

Denton-headquartered engineering business NG Bailey has been appointed as principal contractor by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust to construct a new energy centre at the University Hospital of North Tees.

The new £14m energy centre, which is set to be underway this month, sits within the busy existing hospital estate and will house a new primary intake substation.

The site will feature N+1 emergency generators, Combined Heat and Power, boiler plant & associated 30m high flue stacks, oil fuel storage and distribution, water storage, as well as associated mechanical and electrical infrastructure.

The NG Bailey team developed a detailed methodology showing how the complex critical services will be maintained throughout the build phase, as well as the commissioning and switchover protocol to transfer from the ageing infrastructure network to the new sub-stations.

As part of NG Bailey’s principal contractor role, it will also be responsible for delivering building works, including the superstructure and forming of the major energy centre building complex. Two reinforced concrete below-ground walkways will also be created, linking the new energy centre to the existing hospital infrastructure.

Steven Taylor, head of design and development at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, said: “NG Bailey has been a highly competent professional contractor that is more than capable of executing complex engineering and building projects within fully operational acute healthcare buildings.”

The appointment follows an existing project, which NG Bailey is currently on site delivering, which is a major upgrade to the electrical infrastructure through the replacement of the HV network cabling and the creation of three new sub-stations comprising HV/LV switchgear in closed ring configuration.

Jon Crank, pre-contract manager in NG Bailey’s Engineering division, said: “The completion of the infrastructure upgrade will be a fundamental milestone in the regeneration of the University Hospital of North Tees site.

“We are very proud to be working very closely with the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust as part of its team to complete the works on time and without any disruption to the on-going operation of the hospital.

“We’re looking forward to continuing this relationship on the next phase of the upgrade programme, where we will replace the existing boiler room with a new energy centre.

“The new energy centre will be more reliable, more energy efficient and more environmentally friendly, and will be operational in 2018.”