黑洞社区

Contractor Costain has lodged a 拢10m-plus High Court claim against engineer URS over an alleged failure to spot design defects on a 拢300m energy-from-waste facility in south London.

The claim relates to design problems on the Riverside Resource Recovery Facility in Belvedere, which burns rubbish to power 100,000 homes.

Costain was design and build contractor on the plant, working for the overall engineering, procurement and construction contractor, Swiss- based Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI).

According to Costain鈥檚 claim, filed at the High Court and seen by 黑洞社区, URS was hired by Costain to provide 鈥渄esign and tech support services鈥� on the scheme, including independently checking designs for the plant鈥檚 civil engineering works produced by engineer Jacobs.

According to the claim, URS allegedly failed to alert Costain that Jacobs鈥� designs for steel supports to two grab cranes, which transfer waste into containers leading to furnaces, would not be able to withstand the effects of fatigue for the intended design life of 40 years.

Separate engineers contracted by HZI judged their design life to be shorter than required due to 鈥渋nadequate resistance to fatigue鈥�, resulting in the structures being replaced at a cost of 拢6.1m, according to Costain.

In the claim, Costain said it had resolved separate disputes with HZI and Jacobs over the scheme. Costain said it had settled a claim made by HZI for 拢6.8m, while Costain had separately 鈥渟uccessfully pursued鈥� Jacobs for damages at an adjudication, in which it was awarded 鈥渓osses up to the contractual cap contained in [Jacobs鈥橾 design contract of 拢2m鈥�.

Costain鈥檚 claim for loss and damages against URS includes the 拢6.8m settlement paid to HZI, the 拢6.1m cost of remedial works, and 拢406,000 of legal costs incurred defending HZI鈥檚 claim. The value of URS鈥� original contract with Costain on the scheme was 拢195,000.

HZI declined to comment. Costain, Jacobs and URS were contacted for comment. The case with URS is ongoing.