Location: UK wide
Client: AMP Clean Energy
Services: ICP, Engineering, Procurement and Construction services

Project details

The purpose of the project was to help support the growth of renewables by providing energy on-demand when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. This helps to balance the electricity grid ensuring that enough power is generated whilst supporting the transition to a low carbon economy. Green Frog Connect were appointed to act as the ICP for grid connections and as EPC for the construction of the six gas peaking power plants as part of AMP Clean Energy’s Urban Reserve project.

We faced a challenge in that all of the sites were located on brownfield industrial estates. Using our expertise we saved space and ensured that all sites were built to the highest safety standard whilst accommodating multiple activities. The first project began in late 2020 with each following mobilisation taking place on a weekly basis. The first site became fully energised in March 2021.

All six sites were up and running simultaneously and throughout the project Green Frog Connect demonstrated the depth and flexibility of our construction teams to ensure that AMP Clean Energy was confident in our delivery promises.

Our initial appointment was to undertake the contestable design and place orders for long lead time equipment. The client’s gas engines and HV switch room had already been ordered which helped to reduce construction activities to 20 weeks per project. We had full responsibility for the contestable works, site civil construction, the electrical balance of plant installation and co-ordination of the full site commissioning through to client handover.

Green Frog Connect managed to maintain momentum across the project and ensured all sites were connected on time and within the budget set by the client. We worked closely with the client’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), co-ordinating all activity with the Distribution Network Operator to ensure that the client’s route to market was achieved at the earliest opportunity.

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Location: Preston, Lancashire
Capacity: 90MW
Services: ICP, Principal Contractor, EPC, design, civil works, traffic management

Project details

With the cable route from outside the business park to the substation at over 1km long, and being the main feeder to the M6, the local highways team deemed this a highly traffic sensitive network and a critical emergency route in the event of any motorway congestion. Detailed discussions with local highways and businesses were required to ensure that traffic flow was maintained with any potential disruption minimised.

At the same time, and adjacent to the Gas Plant being constructed by Green Frog Connect, a 50MW Battery Energy Storage Plant was in development. In collaboration with this site, Green Frog Connect extended their contract to facilitate the off-site cable route for both developments which subsequently consisted of 4No 33kV circuits and corresponding pilot circuits. Working to extremely challenging timescales, an intricate program and complex traffic management plan was devised and agreed with all stakeholders. By operating continuous shift patterns, a 30% program improvement was achieved, enabling the successful energisation of the BESS site ahead of the Winter Triad trading period and ensuring essential balancing services to the National Grid during high usage periods, mitigating potential power outages.

On site as the Principal Contractor, Green Frog Connect provided full turnkey services for this gas project. Our scope of work included the design and construction of the balance of plant, including switchgear, transformers, power and control cabling for the client’s SCADA
system, security control systems and auxiliary power supplies, along with the design and construction of the civil works including ground works, reinforced concrete structures, fencing and access roads.

Following the successful sign off of the revised G99 commissioning procedure for the site’s 27 GE Jenbacher gas engines, the site was available for the client to trade and meet its Capacity Market obligations.

Our project management resulted in a 30% program improvement for the off-site grid connection cable works ensuring supplies were available ahead of the Winter Triad trading period.

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Suncredit’s Development Director, John Leith, says, “We received the first notification to dispatch at 09:11 on Monday 26th November and ramped up in less than 120 seconds. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been involved in the delivery of this project and look forward to working together in the future.”

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1500MW represents about 2% of the UK’s electricity generating capacity, and it’s great to know that these were all either renewable energy projects or for flexible power generation. One third of these projects were not only connected by Green Frog Connect, but also built out in their entirety with us acting as the EPC.

“When we started the business six years ago, we made the decision to focus purely on connecting power generation projects, which are more complex and time consuming than connecting residential and commercial developments,” says Tom Drake, Director. “After reaching this milestone it’s clear that this decision has paid off. We now have an incredibly skilled and dedicated team with a deep understanding of power generation grid connections across all DNO areas.”

Having taken the step to become an EPC contractor for flexible power generation, we are well poised to play our part in the UK’s transition to a cleaner, more flexible and increasingly de-centralised electricity system. We look forward to the inevitable rise of battery storage and other types of energy storage such as gas to grid and super capacitors.

Image shows Richard Shearer, Managing Director (L) and Tom Drake, Director, (R) on site at Redfield Road, Nottingham, where Green Frog Connect acted as the Principal Contractor as well as the Independent Connection Provider for a 40MW gas-fired power generation plant, which provides reserve power to National Grid through the Capacity Market.

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With over 20,000 hours worked, the project included very high risk work including excavations, major crane lifts, high voltage works and working at height. Early site clearance works were initiated in January, in anticipation of the auction, with full mobilisation immediately following the results. Design and planning works had already been completed well ahead of the auction.

Tom Drake, Director of Green Frog Connect, said, “This project demonstrates the impact of our commitment to the continuous improvement of Health and Safety practices. We’d like to thank all our team, and our sub-contractors, who have worked together to maintain high safety standards whilst delivering the project ahead of schedule.“

The construction of this small-scale gas fuelled capacity mechanism embedded power plant, within a 2,400m2 compound, included the construction of foundations to accommodate electrical equipment including generators, transformers, the switchroom and containerised units. High and low voltage cabling has been routed around the site, which is bordered by a sheer cliff on two sides, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), and a busy industrial estate.

Adrian Sherman, Green Frog Connect’s SHEQ liaison on the project, said, “Considering the number of working hours and all the hazards faced throughout the construction of the site, this is a fantastic achievement which we are rightly very proud of.“

Despite the challenges and tight timescales, the site was generating and available for export from mid-September and is now available to respond to Capacity Market Warnings issued by National Grid. The Capacity Market exists to ensure long-term security of supply by ensuring there is sufficient generating (or demand reduction) capacity at times of system stress, for example when renewable sources are not producing at a time of high demand.

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Location: Nottingham
Capacity: 40MW
Project length: Two phases, each comprising seven months
Client: Viridis 178 Ltd

Key client benefits

• We completed the highest risk element of the project – a dual directional drill under the A52 in central Nottingham for the electricity connection – on time and under budget. The A52 is critical national infrastructure operated by Highways England. Whilst installing the duct for Phase A, the opportunity was taken to install a second duct for Phase B, despite it being a speculative development at the time, saving the client more than £100,000 on Phase B.
• The project completed on time, ahead of the winter period, allowing the client to earn valuable income during times of high electricity demand and to provide support to the local and national electricity networks.
• Project completed under budget.

Project details

The project was constructed in two phases, each taking seven months. Phase A (20MW) and Phase B (20MW) each have their own 33kV connection to Western Power Distribution, as well as their own connection to the local Intermediate Pressure (IP) gas network. Our services comprised:

• The design and construction of the electricity grid connection contestable works. Two 20MW tee-off connections to the WPD distribution network.
• The design and construction of the balance of plant, including switchgear, transformers, power cabling systems, SCADA/control system, the auxiliary power system and a security system.
• The design and construction of the civil works including ground works, reinforced concrete structures, fencing and access roads.

The installation and commissioning of the 27 GE Jenbacher Generator Sets, and the gas connections, were undertaken by Green Frog Genovate and Green Frog Gas Utilities respectively. Green Frog Trading now dispatch the plant to ensure Capacity Market events are met, and also operates on the open market providing power at times when renewable generation is low, and/or when demand is high.

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Location: Bridgwater, Somerset
Capacity: 6MW
Project length: Five months
Client: Green Frog Power

Key client benefits

• First of its kind project for the client delivered on time and budget.

Project details

The grid connection was via two connection points on the WPD 11kV network, with the cable terminating in a new substation at The Drove Power Station. A constraining device, with radio communications apparatus was installed and provide a volt free contact to a trip G59/2 relay. Our services included:

• EPC contractor for the design and construction of the power plant.
• Design, Project Management and Construction for the new contestable works.
• Installation of 11kV metering substation.
• Associated jointing, excavation and cable pulling works.
• Project Management of non-contestable works.

This project included the first active management constraint scheme connected to the WPD network at 11kV, to maintain network security and to prevent thermal limits, voltage limits or power quality limits from being exceeded. Green Frog Trading now dispatch the plant to ensure Capacity Market events are met, and also operates on the open market providing power at times when renewable generation is low, and/or when demand is high.

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