CPV codes for energy, grid and substation tenders
The CPV codes public buyers use for power lines, substations, cables, transformers, renewables and energy services, how the codes are built, and how to use them to find tenders you would otherwise miss.
Every tender published on TED is labelled with one or more CPV codes, many national portals use them too, and so do some buyers outside the EU. Searching by code is the most reliable way to find tenders in languages you don't read, and tenders whose title gives little away. This guide explains how CPV codes work and lists the codes that matter for grid, power and energy work.
How CPV codes work
CPV stands for Common Procurement Vocabulary, the EU's official classification of what public buyers purchase. It was set up by Regulation (EC) No 2195/2002 and revised in 2008 by Commission Regulation (EC) No 213/2008; that "CPV 2008" version is the one in use today. Each code has eight digits, followed on official lists by a check digit, for example 45231400-9. The check digit only guards against typing errors; search tools such as TED work with the eight digits.
The code is hierarchical: the more digits that are not zero, the more specific the code.
- 45000000: division (construction work)
- 45200000: group (works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work)
- 45230000: class (construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines, for highways, roads, airfields and railways; flatwork)
- 45231000: category (construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines)
- 45231400: construction work for electricity power lines
A tender has one main code and can list several additional codes. When you search, include the main codes of your trade and the codes one level up, then weed out what doesn't fit.
Works: lines, substations and plants
| Code | Official description | Typical tenders |
|---|---|---|
| 45231000 | Construction work for pipelines, communication and power lines | Mixed network works, often with telecom or pipes |
| 45231400 | Construction work for electricity power lines | Overhead and underground lines, cable laying |
| 45232200 | Ancillary works for electricity power lines | Foundations, towers, trenches, cable ducts |
| 45232210 | Overhead line construction | New lines, reconductoring, tower replacement |
| 45232220 | Substation construction work | New substations, extensions, bays |
| 45232221 | Transformer substation | Secondary and primary transformer stations |
| 45251000 | Construction works for power plants and heating plants | Power plants, district heating plants |
| 45251160 | Wind-power installation works | Wind farm balance of plant |
| 45261215 | Solar panel roof-covering work | Rooftop photovoltaics on public buildings |
| 45310000 | Electrical installation work | Electrical works in buildings and sites |
| 45317200 | Electrical installation work of transformers | Transformer installation and replacement |
| 45317300 | Electrical installation work of electrical distribution apparatus | Switchgear and distribution boards |
| 45231220 | Construction work for gas pipelines | Gas pipelines |
| 45231221 | Gas supply mains construction work | Gas distribution networks and connections |
Equipment and supplies
| Code | Official description | Typical tenders |
|---|---|---|
| 31100000 | Electric motors, generators and transformers | Broad equipment tenders |
| 31170000 | Transformers | Power and distribution transformers |
| 31213200 | Distribution transformers | Distribution transformer framework agreements |
| 31200000 | Electricity distribution and control apparatus | Protection, control and distribution equipment |
| 31210000 | Electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits | Breakers, disconnectors, protection |
| 31214000 | Switchgear | MV and HV switchgear, ring main units |
| 31300000 | Insulated wire and cable | Cable framework agreements |
| 31320000 | Power distribution cables | LV and MV distribution cable |
| 31321000 | Electricity power lines | Power cable in general; buyers often use the more specific codes below |
| 31321200 | Low- and medium-voltage cable | LV and MV cable supply |
| 31321300 | High-voltage cable | HV cable systems |
| 31321500 | Submarine cable | Offshore wind export cables, interconnectors |
| 31440000 | Batteries | Substation batteries, battery storage |
| 31434000 | Lithium accumulators | Lithium-ion battery storage |
| 38550000 | Meters | Metering in general |
| 38554000 | Electricity meters | Smart meter roll-outs |
| 09331200 | Solar photovoltaic modules | PV module supply |
Energy and services
| Code | Official description | Typical tenders |
|---|---|---|
| 09310000 | Electricity | Electricity supply contracts (buying power, not building networks) |
| 65310000 | Electricity distribution | In practice mostly electricity supply contracts too; sometimes network services |
| 65300000 | Electricity distribution and related services | A mix of electricity supply, EV charging and some network services |
| 65320000 | Operation of electrical installations | Operation of plants and substations |
| 50532000 | Repair and maintenance services of electrical machinery, apparatus and associated equipment | Maintenance contracts for grid equipment |
| 50532200 | Repair and maintenance services of transformers | Transformer servicing and overhaul |
| 71314000 | Energy and related services | Energy consultancy |
| 71314200 | Energy-management services | Energy management, performance contracts |
| 71314300 | Energy-efficiency consultancy services | Audits, efficiency studies |
| 71323100 | Electrical power systems design services | Grid studies and electrical design |
| 71334000 | Mechanical and electrical engineering services | Design and engineering support |
| 71520000 | Construction supervision services | Owner's engineer, site supervision |
Always check a code against the official list before you rely on it, because the same activity can sit under different codes. For example, substation works appear under 45232220, under 45317300, or simply under 45000000 with the details in the text.
Five tips for searching by code
- Know whether your tool includes the codes below. On TED, a search for 45232200 also finds 45232220 and 45232221. Other tools may only match the exact code; then add the specific codes you care about.
- Watch the broad codes too. Some buyers only use 45000000 (construction work) or 31000000 (electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting). Pair these with a few keywords.
- Look at the additional codes. A cable-laying contract may have a civil works main code and 31321200 as an additional code.
- Separate supply from works. Buying electricity (09310000, and often 65310000) and building networks (45231400) are different markets; exclude what you don't do to keep your list short.
- Learn from award notices. When a competitor wins a tender you missed, check which codes the buyer used, and add them to your searches.
Outside the EU: other classification systems
CPV is not universal. The United Nations system, including the UN Global Marketplace, uses UNSPSC, where segment 26 covers power generation and distribution machinery and accessories. United States federal buyers on SAM.gov classify each solicitation by NAICS industry code, for example 237130 (power and communication line and related structures construction), 221121 (electric bulk power transmission and control), 221122 (electric power distribution), 335311 (power, distribution and specialty transformer manufacturing) and 238210 (electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors). World Bank notices carry no product code at all, so for those, keywords and buyer names matter most: see our guide to development bank tenders for power projects.