Balfour Beatty is preparing to nearly double the combined direct and supply chain workforce deployed on its power projects to 6,000 by 2030, as Britain embarks on a major expansion of its electricity transmission network.
The contractor expects its power workforce to grow from around 3,200 this year to 6,000 by the end of the decade, representing four times the number deployed in 2024. The expansion plans were outlined to investors as electricity network owners prepare for around £80bn of transmission infrastructure investment by 2031.
The programme represents the largest expansion of Britain’s electricity grid in more than 70 years, creating demand for new substations, overhead transmission lines, underground cables and converter stations. Investment is intended to accommodate additional electricity generation, strengthen existing networks and increase capacity as the energy system changes.
The pipeline of work extends beyond the current investment cycle. Balfour Beatty’s investor presentation identifies a further £89bn of investment for the period after 2030, providing the prospect of sustained demand for specialist engineering and construction services well into the next decade.
The contractor is positioning itself to secure a substantial share of this workload through long-term frameworks, specialist delivery teams and in-house manufacturing capacity. Its power order book has increased five-fold since the first half of 2023 to £2.1bn, with a further £6bn–£8bn identified as awarded pipeline.
Power revenue reached £366m in the first half of 2026, an increase of 130% compared with the same period in 2023. Balfour Beatty estimates that it accounted for around a quarter of the UK power transmission market in 2025.
The scale of the anticipated programme will require additional resources across engineering, construction, manufacturing and the wider supply chain. Increasing the workforce to 6,000 will involve expanding capacity across the teams responsible for installing and upgrading transmission infrastructure, alongside the specialist suppliers supporting delivery.
Electricity demand from electric vehicles, electric heating and data centres is expected to add to the pressure on the network. At the same time, the connection of new power generation and the drive to improve energy security are increasing the need for transmission capacity and more resilient infrastructure.
Manufacturing is another part of Balfour Beatty’s expansion strategy. The company is increasing production at its Painter Brothers facility in Hereford, which manufactures steel transmission towers and substation structures for electricity network projects.
Annual manufacturing capacity is planned to rise from 10,000 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes, following an earlier increase from 5,000 tonnes in 2023. The business is supplying more than 1,500 towers for Balfour Beatty projects, supporting the delivery of new overhead transmission lines.
The investment in manufacturing capacity is intended to support the expected growth in project activity while strengthening the contractor’s control over a critical part of the supply chain. Steel towers and associated structures are essential components of overhead transmission infrastructure, and production capacity will need to keep pace with the volume of network construction planned.
Balfour Beatty’s workforce and manufacturing targets reflect the scale of the opportunity presented by Britain’s grid investment programme. With substantial spending identified both before and after 2030, the contractor is building capacity around a market in which specialist labour, engineering capability and reliable supply chains will be central to delivering new infrastructure.
