Tunnel & Ground Engineering for Energy & Power Assets 

Tunneling and ground engineering for energy and power involves planning, designing and delivering geotechnical and underground infrastructure that supports energy generation, transmission and storage in complex ground conditions.  

Underground infrastructure is critical for the operation of some energy assets. It also reduces surface impacts and supports reliable operation in constrained, sensitive environments.  

Tunneling and ground engineering support the transmission and distribution of power and the development of energy storage facilities. Examples include the use of cable tunnels and pipelines for distribution and the storage of power through hydropower and pumped storage facilities, as well as compressed air energy storage schemes. 

Tunneling and ground engineering support nuclear power plants and SMRs by identifying and managing geo-hazards and complex ground conditions, facilitating the safe development of foundations and underground infrastructure for critical nuclear assets in a highly regulated environment. 

Underground energy infrastructure improves resilience by protecting assets from surface hazards, supporting climate adaptation and enabling reliable operation during extreme events. Underground infrastructure is also typically designed for a long service life — often 100 years or more.   

Complex contamination demands a strategy shaped by the realities of each site. We tailor analysis remediation and risk management to local geology, contaminant profiles, regulatory context and future land use, reducing uncertainty and moving sites safely toward closure or beneficial reuse. 

Underground energy infrastructure improves resilience by protecting assets from surface hazards, supporting climate adaptation and enabling reliable operation during extreme events. Underground infrastructure is also typically designed for a long service life — often 100 years or more.   

Underground storage supports the energy transition by enabling large-scale storage of energy, hydrogen and waste. This balances supply and demand and improves grid flexibility.  

Tunneling and ground engineering support sustainability by reducing surface disruption, optimizing geometries to limit excavation and construction material quantities, lowering embodied carbon and improving long-term asset performance.