Projects Archives

Senior leadership visit to UK battery gigafactory project

Earlier this month, JSM Group welcomed members of its senior management team to a major battery gigafactory project currently under construction in the UK. JSM is delivering the new 33kV electrical connection serving the site, which forms a critical part of the project’s infrastructure and long-term operational capability.

The visit provided an opportunity for senior leaders to walk the site, engage directly with the teams delivering the work, and gain first-hand insight into the scale and technical complexity of the development. Projects of this nature play a vital role in supporting the UK’s industrial growth and clean-energy ambitions, and JSM is proud to be contributing to this nationally significant scheme.

Commenting on the visit, Martyn Crocker, Operations Director at JSM, said:

The standard of work on site is genuinely impressive. Our teams are delivering complex, high-specification construction to a level of quality and precision that reflects the very best of what JSM stands for, and it was a privilege to see it first-hand.

JSM would like to thank everyone on site who supported the visit, as well as the project teams whose continued focus on safety, quality and programme delivery is helping to set the standard across the business.

At JSM Group, we pride ourselves on delivering complex infrastructure projects while prioritising environmental stewardship.

Our recent 132kV cable crossing project – connecting to a National Grid substation – tested this commitment with unique challenges that required innovative solutions.

The challenge: Balancing infrastructure needs with environmental protection

The project required an open cut crossing of the main River Colne, which is an ecologically sensitive area and a location where two rivers meet. After extensive planning, we ruled out:

Bridge-mounted solutions– due to structural limitations identified by local authorities
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD)– engineering difficulties made this approach unfavourable

This left an open-cut river crossing as the preferred option – a method with higher environmental risks that demanded meticulous planning.

Ecological and environmental controls included

Ecological surveys including Phase 1 habitat surveys, water vole surveys and ground level assessments for bat roosts in trees were undertaken.

A check for otters was made prior to the start of works, with one trail camera in place for two weeks. Immediately prior to works, a further check of the banks and the island was made to ensure otters were not present in the area.

Site lighting was avoided overnight, as light can be detrimental to foraging and commuting bats which are highly likely to use the river.

Vegetation clearance (there was minimal required) was undertaken under ecological supervision.

Prior to dewatering, approximately 70 fish, including Bullheads and Perch, were moved safely over the dam.

Good practices regarding preventing pollution were always maintained, including:

Fueling vehicles and equipment away from the river
Ensuring machinery and equipment were well-maintained to minimise the chance of leaks
Having biosecurity measures in place throughout the works

The bigger picture

This 21-day operation – the culmination of 2 years of design, permitting, and stakeholder coordination – underscores how infrastructure development and environmental protection can coexist.

By documenting these lessons, we’re not just improving our processes but contributing to industry-wide best practices.

Joe Scanlon, Head of Civil Operations at JSM says;

Considering the increasing engineering challenges associated with cable routes in the UK, this achievement highlights JSM Group’s capability to overcome such difficulties and ensure projects are delivered safely and efficiently.

A big thank you goes out to all teams involved.

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.

We are proud to announce that JSM Group Services Ltd. has officially been granted Ofcom Code Powers as of 10th October 2024. This achievement marks a significant milestone in our journey towards expanding and enhancing the services we provide to our clients.

The Electronic Communications Code, as set out in Schedule 3A of the Communications Act 2003, grants JSM Group the ability to streamline processes involved in the installation and maintenance of electronic communications networks. This will simplify our approach to delivering essential services, particularly during the installation of power cables and infrastructure.

David Fennessy, Comms Managing Director says:

Obtaining The Ofcom Code of Powers is testament to the evolution of JSM Group Services Ltd. This will be a key area for our future growth plans by diversifying our client base to meet their expansion plans. It will further complement our ambition to continuously improve our service offering(s) for both the client and public.

As part of our sustainability and environmental commitments, this new status allows us to install duct and fibre during power cable trenching works. This not only reduces street works disruption but also delivers cost savings to our clients, while offering greater flexibility for network access and use.

This advancement will particularly benefit larger projects such as Data Centres, where extensive cable routes are essential. The combination of power and fibre installation in a single project will enable savings for Data Centre Operators and those offering fibre services.

With the flexibility to install and maintain electronic communications networks more efficiently, we aim to provide an even higher standard of service to all our clients, while minimising the impact of construction activities on the public.

JSM Group’s newly granted Code Powers strengthen our commitment to being a trusted partner in the construction and utilities sectors. As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain dedicated to fostering collaboration and innovation across all our projects.