Modernising a Critical Aerospace Substation with Zero Operational Disruption
Project Snapshot
| Client | Airbus Operations Ltd (Filton, Bristol), represented by Leonard Engineering Design Consultants |
| Project Value | £1.60 million |
| Duration | Mobilisation: 17 June 2024 • Energisation: 30 Sept 2024 • Completion: 12 Nov 2024 |
| Market Sector | Industrial electricity consumer |
| Services Delivered | Electrical infrastructure refurbishment, 11 kV/LV substation replacement |
| Powersystems Fact | Powersystems installed the original HV switchgear in 1988 — and returned 36 years later to fully replace it |
Airbus Fairlawn Case Study
Download the full Airbus Filton Substation Refurbishment Case Study to discover how Powersystems delivered the complete 11 kV Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade at the Fairlawn intake substation—one of the most critical power hubs on the Airbus Filton site. The PDF provides a clear overview of our staged switchgear replacement, transformer installation, HV/LV integration and zero‑disruption commissioning, carried out within a live aerospace manufacturing environment. Ideal for engineering teams and facilities managers seeking deeper technical insight into a complex, safety‑critical electrical upgrade delivered on time and without operational downtime.
Client Background
Airbus Filton is a major UK aerospace engineering and manufacturing facility responsible for the design, research and production of aircraft wings. With a peak electrical demand of over 6 MW, the site relies on a resilient private 11 kV network across multiple manufacturing, R&D and operational buildings.
The Fairlawn substation is one of three primary intake substations feeding this network. Approaching the end of its operational life, Airbus commissioned Powersystems to deliver a full refurbishment and modernisation.
The Challenge
Delivering a full switchgear and substation replacement within a live aerospace manufacturing environment, while maintaining continuity of supply to:
- Manufacturing halls
- R&D centres
- Offices and workshops
- Essential plant services and utilities
Any unexpected outage could directly impact production schedules and safety-critical aerospace operations.
Our Engineering Solution
Powersystems acted as Principal Contractor, providing full design, installation, testing and commissioning. The scope included:
- Installation of a new 13‑panel 11 kV switchboard
- Two 1000 kVA transformers
- Full LV switchboard replacement
- All primary and secondary cabling
- Battery backup systems
- HVAC, lighting, fire and life‑safety systems
- Substation building refurbishment
Key Engineering Measures
To maintain uninterrupted supply:
- Reconfigured the 11 kV network to maintain redundancy
- Planned all switching/downtime for weekends
- Introduced temporary alternative supply routes
- Completed switchboard replacement in two halves
- Achieved full replacement without using diesel generators
Outcome: Zero impact on Airbus operations during the entire programme.
Project Process
- Design finalisation & procurement
- Network reconfiguration to provide temporary pathways
- De-energise and removal of existing 11kV switchboard and transformers
- New 11kV equipment installation
- New LV board installation
- Commissioning and energisation of new system
- Staged changeovers to new LV board
- Final handover
Results & Impact
The project was delivered:
- On time, from June to November 2024
- With zero interruption to Airbus’ manufacturing and operational output
- With increased electrical resilience, safety and long‑term system reliability
- With enhanced protection, control and monitoring systems
- With reduced ongoing electrical losses thanks to modern equipment
Technical Specifications
System Infrastructure:
- 13‑panel 11 kV switchboard – 2 incomers, 6 ring feeders, 2 transformer feeders, Bus coupler and Spare panel
- 2 × 1000 kVA transformers
- LV primary switchboard
- 13 × HV circuits, 3 HV joints, 13 HV terminations
- 15 LV outgoing circuits (125–400 A), 8 LV joints
- Battery backup
- HVAC, fire alarm, lighting, intruder alarm
- Upgraded cable containment and routing
Client Testimonial
“I would like to extend our thanks to the Powersystems team for an exceptionally well delivered project, the teams’ professionalism, site management and approach to project VFM has been impressive. We look forward to working with Powersystems in the future.” – LEDA Director, Client Engineer and Project Manager.
Project Partnerships
- Airbus Operations Ltd — Owner of the private HV network
- CBRE — Facilities contractor overseeing network operations
- Leonard Engineering Design Associates (LEDA) — Client engineer and project manager
- National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) — Local DNO providing dual 11 kV supply
- Specialist subcontractors contributing to civils, lifting, cabling and life‑safety works
Key Risks & Mitigations
- Loss of Supply to Critical Operations – Mitigation: Contingency planning, on‑call generators, real‑time load monitoring
- High‑Voltage Switching Risk – Mitigation: SAP oversight, jointly agreed switching programmes, strict HV safety rules
- Legacy Cable Identification – Mitigation: Two‑week systematic identification, staged removal, validated routes
- Heavy Equipment Installation in Confined Spaces – Mitigation: Controlled lifting plans, specialist lifting teams, exclusion zones
- Maintaining Safe Operations on a Live Site – Mitigation: Traffic and pedestrian controls, daily coordination, permit‑to‑work governance
Environmental & Sustainability Impact
- Reuse of substation building avoided additional civil works
- Reduced material usage
- Smaller modern switchgear created additional space
- No diesel generator usage improved carbon performance
- Less electrical loss improves long‑term energy efficiency
Economic Benefits
- Improved uptime protects production revenue
- Supports operational resilience across Airbus’ entire Filton campus
- Accurate metering benefits internal billing for GKN
- Reduces risk exposure and long‑term operational costs
Future Prospects
This successful delivery strengthens Powersystems’ role as the preferred engineering partner for Airbus’ ongoing HV infrastructure upgrade programme.
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Need a trusted partner for high‑voltage infrastructure upgrades?
Contact the Powersystems engineering team to discuss your grid connection or industrial substation project.