Following several high-profile data centre contract wins, Leep Utilities – one of the UK’s leading owners and operators of last-mile utility networks – has launched a specialist extra high voltage (EHV) team.
Leep is now better equipped than ever to provide global data centre operators, and other higher-consumption industrial and commercial users, with utility grid connections, 132kV networks and smart battery energy storage solutions for local heat networks.
The firm owns, operates and manages every electrical element – from the point of connection to the metering position and beyond – for the entire length of the contract.
Leep is also enabling data centre owners to increase their revenue and sustainability credentials by repurposing their waste heat to power local heat networks – reducing grid requirements and, crucially, improving their energy efficiency.
“Our success with EHV customers is founded on the team’s expertise and the many added value services we provide,” said Matt Ling, Director of Business Development at Leep Utilities. “Through early engagement, a holistic consultative approach and seeking out value in the supply chain – thanks to the transparency that our adoption-only model affords – we’re able to help high consumption users to operate most cost-efficiently and cost-effectively, all with the support of our in-house legal team.
“An often-cited frustration amongst EHV operators is the inflexibility of specification of network components, which can create blockages and inefficiencies,” added Ling. “As an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), Leep offers much greater flexibility, on the likes of electric plant and design, to provide bespoke solutions that best meet their needs, and at the best prices and timings.
“By separating Asset Adoption Value payments from design and build costs, we yet further maximise the supply chain, often at a critical cashflow juncture.
“The UK data centre industry continues to rapidly evolve and the surge in its demand is unprecedented. We’re already a proven electricity supplier of choice to a number of the biggest global brands and we’re now very much looking forward to further increasing our footprint and credentials with a dedicated expert team in place and many added value benefits that our customers are loving,” Ling said.
