Electricity underwater: Grand Union Canal tunnel provides power boost for HS2

A “micro tunnel” has been dug under the Grand Union Canal in West London at the moment to deliver electricity to HS2’s tunnel boring machines when they start digging the Euston tunnel.
Tunnel shaft (c) UKPN
Tunnel boring machines (TMBs) consume a lot of electricity and often require local power supply upgrades, and UK Power Networks is providing HS2 with 45MVA of electricity supply to facilitate the construction of the high-speed railway.
For comparison, that’s enough ele