Jamil Cadersaib is a skilled project manager who leads multi‑disciplinary teams to deliver sustainable, low‑risk engineering solutions. With experience across Civil and Electrical engineering from 11kV to 400kV, he specialises in feasibility studies, optimal cable routing, and guiding stakeholders through clear optioneering to achieve the most effective project strategy. The rapid growth of renewable energy, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), data centres, and electrification projects is fundamentally reshaping power infrastructure delivery. As projects become more complex and are delivered in increasingly constrained environments, the technical expectations placed on Civil Engineering Supervisors have expanded significantly.

Industry context

Power infrastructure projects are being delivered under heightened regulatory scrutiny, tighter programme constraints, and increasing technical interdependencies between civil, electrical, and environmental systems. Civil Engineering Supervisors are no longer solely responsible for overseeing construction activities; they are now expected to provide informed technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle, from early feasibility through construction and commissioning.

Core civil engineering competence

At the foundation of the role lies strong technical knowledge in civil engineering principles. This includes expertise in the utilities industry, temporary works, structural interfaces, surface reinstatement, and street works compliance. In power infrastructure projects, supervisors must also understand trenching and trenchless methodologies, duct and joint bay design, and access road construction. Additionally, they need to keep up to date with new laws and regulations posed by statutory bodies and local authorities, including health and safety legislation, environmental regulations, highways standards, and utility-specific specifications. This technical grounding enables supervisors to assess constructability, challenge design assumptions, and ensure that designs are both practical and compliant with relevant standards.

Understanding of power and utility interfaces

Modern power projects demand a working knowledge of electrical infrastructure interfaces. Civil Engineering Supervisors must understand cable installation requirements, clearances, thermal backfill specifications, and interactions between civil works and high-voltage systems. This cross-disciplinary understanding is critical for coordinating works, preventing rework, and managing risk at the interface between civil and electrical disciplines. [column_divider]

Digital and data-driven capability

Technical expertise increasingly extends into digital engineering. Civil Engineering Supervisors are expected to interpret and utilise Building Information Modelling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and 3D/4D construction models to assess route options, identify utility conflicts, and plan construction sequencing. Proficiency in digital planning, reporting, and data analysis tools supports improved forecasting accuracy, risk identification, and decision-making across the project lifecycle.

Ground risk and site investigation insight

A detailed understanding of geotechnical and environmental conditions is essential. Supervisors must be able to interpret ground investigation data, assess contamination risks, and identify potential constraints related to groundwater, archaeology, or ecology. This expertise enables informed decision-making during route selection and construction planning, reducing exposure to unforeseen ground conditions.

Conclusion

The technical expertise required of Civil Engineering Supervisors in modern power infrastructure extends well beyond traditional site supervision. Strong civil engineering fundamentals, cross-disciplinary understanding of power systems, digital capability, and regulatory awareness are now essential. As power infrastructure continues to evolve, organisations must recognise and invest in the technical development of Civil Engineering Supervisors to ensure resilient, efficient, and sustainable project outcomes. By drawing on its multidisciplinary strength across civil, electrical, and digital engineering, JSM is well positioned to support this evolution by providing integrated capability in high voltage connections, substation delivery, complex and trenchless civil engineering, multi utility coordination, and advanced fibre and digital infrastructure. This enables supervisors to access the tools, insight, and project expertise needed to meet the growing complexity of modern power projects with confidence and precision. Check out the latest Civil Engineering Supervisor vacancies.  

This Bytesized piece explores Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) in action – a quick, practical insight into one of the most effective low‑impact installation methods in the industry.

What is Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and why is it used?

HDD is widely used by civil engineering contractors to install underground utilities without disturbing the surface, making it ideal for congested or sensitive environments. By drilling a guided underground path and pulling pipes or cables through in one continuous section, HDD minimises disruption, reduces environmental impact, and keeps infrastructure running as normal.

How was HDD applied on this high-constraint project?

A recent JSM project demonstrates this in action. The team was tasked with installing a high‑voltage cable route beneath a corridor packed with constraints, including dense utilities, environmentally sensitive features, operational areas, and live traffic movements. Traditional excavation wasn’t feasible.

How did engineering expertise ensure safe delivery?

Using gyro‑guided steering, staged drilling, real‑time monitoring, and strict environmental controls, the team delivered a minimal‑surface‑impact installation, completed in under five days. All surrounding operations, access routes, and habitats remained fully protected throughout. The project reflects best practice in civil engineering delivery within complex utility environments.

Why is HDD a preferred method for modern infrastructure projects?

This case study highlights why HDD has become a preferred method for modern infrastructure delivery: precision, safety, speed, and minimal disruption, even in the most challenging environments. 

JSM Group has been appointed to design and build a new grid connection between Hillfield Lane in Elstree and Blossom Way in Hemel Hempstead.

The work spans over 16.3km in both the carriageway and footpath. Upon completion, the work will facilitate the connection of a new Data Centre in Hemel Hempstead via a new 132/33kV substation. Elstree 400kV substation is the nearest substation that has suitable load capacity to supply the demand for the works.

This will be carried out in two phases, phase one which will be the cable duct installation and phase two which will consist of the excavation of joint bays, cable installation and jointing then reinstatement and site cleared.

This involves the excavation and installation of ducts in various roads with planning liaison between JSM Group and Herts County Council. Due to the nature of the works and the impact on the local infrastructure the route has be planned to minimise the disruption to traffic in the surrounding areas wherever possible, this has included avoiding main roads, working longer hours, working outside schools during the summer break and carrying our 24-hour working at the weekends in specific busy locations to reduce the impact and delay on traffic due to the working week traffic flow.

JSM has installed advance warning signs and carried out letter drops of the streets prior to the works commencing. These letters include contact details for the project manager and site manager specific to each road so residents can personally contact the said individuals with any concerns or requirements that they may have. JSM are contactable 24 hours a day to deal with any on site issues.

The traffic management is carried out by a designated approved company who installs and maintains the traffic management with 24-hour contact numbers displayed on all site’s ready to deal with any out of hours emergencies.

Our in-house experts are working hard with key stakeholders including Hertfordshire County Council to ensure minimum disruption to the Public. As the works progress, we will continue to hold frequent reviews with Hertfordshire County Highways and provide weekly updates to assess suitable changes as the project develops. A project specific web site is available to track weekly progress and planned work.

JSM Group has been appointed to design and build a new grid connection between Mop End Lane and Haw Lane in Buckinghamshire.

The work spans over 16.4km in both the carriageway and footpath. Upon completion, the work will facilitate the connection of a new Data Centre via a new 132/11kV 120MVA substation.

This will be carried out in two phases, phase one will be the cable duct installation. Phase two will consist of pulling cable and jointing the lengths to make a continuous cable which requires three joint bays to be open at any one time for connections to be made.

Our in-house experts are working hard with key stakeholders including Buckinghamshire Council to ensure minimum disruption to the Public. This includes planning and using the least disruptive route to emergency services and local amenities, 24-hour weekend working and providing advance warning of the works. Additionally, we’ve provided all local residents with a single point of contact should they have any safety concerns while the works are ongoing.

As the works progress, we will continue to hold frequent reviews with Buckinghamshire Council Highways and provide weekly updates to assess suitable changes as the project develops.

The electrical supply will run from Belvedere and terminate at the Littlebrook substation in Dartford.

This project will be one of the largest and most efficient Energy from Waster (EfW) facilities in the UK, employing 140 personnel from the area, processing 650,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste and generating enough electricity to power 176,000 homes each year. The facility will utilise well-established moving grate technology. This technology has been successfully deployed across numerous operational EfW facilities in the UK.

Over 3 million tonnes of London’s waste must either be landfilled or sent overseas, and this project will provide vital capacity to help address this. It will also help to achieve the goals set out in the London Plan which aim for 100% of London’s waste to be processed within its boundaries by 2026.

We apologies for the disruption this has caused and are working hard with key stakeholders including London Borough of Bexley to ensure minimum disruption to the public. We are working extended hours 7 days a week to ensure they are completed as soon as possible and will be providing a live website that shows the works programme and the live closures.

As the works progress, we will provide weekly updates via the website to assess suitable changes showing where the works are and changes to the traffic network.