Iberdrola, Ferrovial and ACS for the UK’s 820 billion plan.
The UK is planning the public and private investment needed over the next decade in sectors such as energy and transport, which are dominated by large Spanish groups.
partial cancellation of the high speed program in England Last October was a blow to Spanish construction companies with interests in the country, as they were closed the door to large contracts in the business area where they have significant presence. First Minister Rishi Sunaksaid the country would continue to invest, although priorities had been refocused.
Actually, The country has planned investments of between 700,000 million and 775,000 million pounds (820,000 million to 910,000 million euros) over the next decade in all types of infrastructure. -new and old that require urgent updating-, according to National catalog of infrastructure and constructionwhich does not include municipal or devolved public investment from Scotland, Wales and the newly restored Northern Ireland.
The document includes 660 performances and was compiled by the Directorate of Infrastructure and Projects. The government is due to weigh in on a roadmap to keep companies safe in the coming months. “The catalog reflects the government’s commitment to economic growth through this assessment in infrastructure,” A cabinet spokesman explained to EXPANSIÓN. Of these 700 billion 379,000 million has already been allocated and the rest corresponds to the forecast of what will also need to be implemented in the next decade. Elections in the United Kingdom, scheduled for next fall, could change these priorities.
Iberdrola, through its subsidiary Scottish poweris a Spanish company that plays a more prominent role and It has already invested £12,000 million (€14,000 million) until 2028 in wind power and networks. including a £5.4bn tender in the latter area. The company hopes to receive new parks in future tenders in the same 2024, as well as in others that will be put up for tender.
Based on the upper end of the range of planned investments over the next decade, The largest package will correspond to the energy sector – 51%. These include performances in decarbonization – building new renewable parks – and rolling out transport networks.
Investments will have their origin public, private and mixed. In the second case, remuneration will be made primarily through contracts for difference (CfD), common in the energy sector, or based on regulated assetsas is the case with some infrastructure companies.
Trains and roads
Second priority will be Transport, especially rail and road, accounts for 30% of the total pie. Ferrovial, ACS (Dragados and Hochtief) and FCC listed in Spain with the greatest activity in the United Kingdom, although they are also included in the list Sakir and Aksiona, whose activities in the country today are restrained. This last bet is on large hydraulic works in Manchester.
Ferrovial leaves the UK and prioritizes the US and India. although the group says it is attentive to unique opportunities, particularly in concessions. The company is chaired Rafael del Pinowhich is involved in the construction of 80 kilometers of high-speed road, contributes to The €1.2 billion Silvertown Toll Tunnel, one of London’s greatest structures. that the Dutch multinational will operate until 2050. Moreover, while waiting for the sale of its share, retains 25% of Heathrow, Britain’s largest airport with investments ahead such as a third runway, the latest project (pending) cost £14 billion..
ACS Represents itself as one of the largest contractors in the country. He was involved in major underground work in London, high speed work and in promoting renewable energy, especially when he controlled Cobra (from 2021 belongs to Vinci). A Spanish construction company has just won a contract worth approx. £100 million Port of Imminghamnumber one in the UK for tons of goods.
FCC and Axion have greater weight in the environmental sphere, especially in waste treatment plantsone of the unresolved problems of the British economy, which is increasingly resorting to open dumping.
The greatest confidence is generated by railway projects.. There is a programming agreement on highwaysalthough nothing is known about the timing and financing system, although Energy investors express doubts about calendartaking into account delays that may occur in procedures.
From airports to wastewater treatment plants
Spanish infrastructure groups have played a prominent role in the United Kingdom and Ireland for many years, where they have contributed to improving the islands’ road networks, upgrading intercity and urban railways and running some of the largest airports. In addition, they are active as managers of the electricity system (Iberdrola through Scottish Power) and telecommunications together with Telefónica (O2). However, the development of Spanish business goes beyond energy, telecommunications and transport networks. Spanish groups lead sectors such as waste recycling or mobility services. FCC is listed as the largest environmental services contractor since its purchase of WRG. The company operates more than 200 wastewater treatment plants and generates approximately 120 MW from waste processing. Acciona is also present in this sector. In 2021, it won the construction of the London plant in Edmonton with an investment budget of approximately €700 million. In terms of mobility, Spanish printing is also relevant. The Cosmen family has just acquired more than 20% of Mobico (formerly National Express), one of the leaders in bus transport, which includes Spain’s Alsa. The Cosmen family also applied for the use of the high-speed channel link (Eurotunnel). The estimated investment in the project is close to 1 billion euros. Also in the UK, Globalvia and its Australian partner Kinetic took control of Go-Ahead through a takeover delisting. The goal is to take advantage of the transport operator’s privileged position to grow in the national and international market.
Networks, housing and latency
The third area that will require the most investment will be social infrastructure (11%), which is a mixed bag including, for example, hospitals, prisons, housing and schools.
Communications and broadband (2%) includes deployments announced by groups such as BT or Telefónica subsidiary O2’s Virgin Media – an area where planning states there is complete “clarity” on its development.
Infrastructure construction faces challenges such as rising costs of construction materials and, above all, “extensive systemic problems causing implementation delays,” which could benefit from some recent measures to simplify and streamline procedures.