The Mining Remediation Authority has awarded a contract for a power connection to the Sharnberry Mine Water Treatment Scheme with an estimated value of £522, 000 including VAT to Northern Powergrid (Northeast) Plc.
The direct contract award has been made to the single supplier for technical reasons. Applications for a new electricity connection to the national grid involving non contestable works refer to the elements of the connection process that only Northern Powergrid as the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) can legally carry out.
The former Sharnberry mines are located in County Durham at the far eastern edge of the North Pennines Orefield, in the Pennines Moors. The mines pollute rivers in the Wear catchment, specifically the Euden Beck and downstream Bedburn Beck.
The contract award follows on from a detailed monitoring programme carried out by the Environment Agency to measure the metal concentrations and river flows at various points across the catchment. The monitoring indicated that the Sharnberry adit is the most significant source of zinc and cadmium pollution and also contributes to lead pollution.
The Environment Agency subsequently advised that a Mine Water Treatment Scheme (MWTS) was required that will require a permanent power connection.
In February 2025, it was agreed to progress with Phase 1 of the grid connection, which is from Eggleston Crest to the boundary of the Eggleston Estate access track.
The contract is for non-contestable works of the phase 2 grid extension, which is for Northern Powergrid to:
- Upgrade the existing two-conductor system to Three-Phase, which involves rebuilding the line.
- Carrying out 1x HV closing joint
- Undertaking all Senior Authorised Person work associated with all connections to the Distribution System
The Water and Abandoned Metal Mines Programme (WAMM) is the primary delivery mechanism to achieve the statutory Environment Act target to halve the length of rivers polluted by harmful metals from abandoned metal mines by 2038.
WAMM is being delivered by a partnership between the Mining Remediation Authority, the Environment Agency and Defra.
Contract dates are 20 February 2026 to 31 December 2026 with a possible extension to 31 December 2027 - extensions will only be required if operational site conditions, weather and other factors delay delivery of services
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