Powering Up Faster: How an Integrated Team Leads to a Faster Grid Connection

When Arvato took over a 31,000m² warehouse and 6,000m² of office space in Corby, they needed a serious power upgrade to support their future-focused logistics operation. Enter SmOp Cleantech and Vattenfall IDNO — an experienced team that turned a complex process into a smooth operation.

The Challenge: More Power, Please!

Arvato, a global logistics powerhouse, had big plans for their new site — but needed a hefty 1300 kVA at 11 kV to fuel it. SmOp, the appointed Independent Connection Provider (ICP), brought in Vattenfall IDNO to adopt the connection once energized. And from that moment, the gears started turning.

Teamwork in Action

From the word go, Vattenfall and SmOp worked hand-in-hand. Bilgin Oralerkaya from Vattenfall’s Business Development team kicked things off by collaborating with Commercial Energy Advisor Kelly Alexiou and Analyst Gareth Hui to calculate the all-important Asset Adoption Value (AAV).

They crunched numbers, built models, and reviewed costs with the Operations team and developed an offer that SmOp reviewed, tweaked, and signed. Now the project was officially in motion.

Project Go!

That’s when things really picked up speed. Programme Manager Zamil Imam kicked off multiple work streams, managing contracts, timelines, and budgets. Working closely with Vattenfall’s engineers, Zamil kept the wheels turning — while Project Engineer Prakash Halai ensured every technical detail was spot on. From G81 compliance to construction queries, Prakash had it covered.

Legal issues? Handled.

Legal wrangling over substation leases can often stall a project — but not when you’ve got an in-house legal team like Vattenfall’s. Louise Mortell, Land Consents Manager, worked closely with SmOp to manage solicitor hiccups and fast-track agreements. With clear communication and a shared goal, they smoothed out the legal kinks without missing a beat.

Louise said it best:

By working directly with SmOp to explain the legal challenges, we were able to reach an agreement with the landowner in record time. That level of cooperation really speeds things up.

Building the Future

On-site, Project Manager Cameron Roscoe took the reins — inspecting on-site construction, checking safety standards, and making sure everything met Vattenfall’s exacting standards. He even did a full due diligence review to ensure smooth sailing long after energization.

Meanwhile, the Commercial team was still in the loop, generating MPANs, making sure the correct tariffs were applied, and confirming that what was built matched what was promised — ensuring the AAV parameters were met.

Once construction was complete, Cameron locked in the energization date with the DNO, and without delay — power was flowing to Arvato’s site.

The Result: Fast, Efficient Connections

From Bilgin, Kelly, and Gareth in Commercial to Zamil, Prakash, Cameron, and Louise in Ops and Legal, the Vattenfall IDNO team — in close collaboration with SmOp — brought the Arvato grid connection to life much faster than it would have taken with a traditional DNO.

The secret? An integrated team of experts covering every step of the process. 
When everyone knows their role and works together with a shared mission, even the most technical grid connections get delivered quicker, and without the usual headaches.

Grid connections don’t have to be a slog. With the right people on your team, you can rely on the experts to power up your project as fast as possible.

Contact us to discuss how we can support your project.