Major engineering to install a new gas pipeline under the A6 Blackrod Bypass is progressing well and on track, the project team confirmed today.
Cadent, which manages the local gas network, is installing 3,000 metres of new pipe in one of its biggest projects in the North West this year.
Photographs shared by Cadent show huge sections of the big new pipeline being installed under the road surface.
This is all to ensure there is gas to meet demand from a new power generation site, which will use gas to create electricity for the area.
The pipeline will also supply gas to a new property development nearby.
It is also future-proofing the gas network ready for the arrival soon of hydrogen, a critical stage in the path to net zero.
The update comes soon after
The update comes soon after Cadent revealed it is investing £80m this year to upgrade 418km of its older gas pipes in the North West, including more than 11.2km in the Bolton Council local authority area.
The work on the A6 Blackrod Bypass began at the end of February and is due to continue beyond the school summer holidays.
The new pipeline is going under the A6, between Chorley Road and Station Road.
Planning teams have worked hard to ensure all roads stay open, with traffic lights managing the flow of vehicles around the work areas.
Mark Syers, Cadent’s Head of Investment Planning Office (North West), said: “This is one of our biggest projects this year and it is progressing really well. The team has installed more than half of the pipeline now. There are actually three pipes going in, and we are also installing a new governor station, to manage the pressure of gas as it flows through the pipe. This is major engineering, and needed both to keep gas flowing to the local area and keep the lights on. There are times in the UK when as much as 50 per cent of electricity comes from such gas-powered generation plants. Installing the new pipe also helps future-proof this part of the network, to ensure it’s ready to distribute hydrogen when that starts to arrive in the North West soon. Hydrogen is key to securing a net zero energy future. Our job is to ensure that gas can be carried in the volumes needed, and safely. We’ve worked hard to keep the roads open and are talking often to homes and businesses along the route, to keep them updated.”
Three new tough plastic pipes need to be added to the local network; one of which – at 630mm in diameter – is about the same diameter as a large car tyre.
Customers with questions about this work can contact the team by:
Phone: 0800 090 3071
Email: CustomerCareNW@cadentgas.com
Online: https://cadentgas.com/contactus/contact-form
If you smell gas during this work, nearby or anywhere, always ring the national gas emergency service immediately, day or night, on 0800 111 999*. Do not delay, or assume it’s related to this work. It may not be and must be checked.
Cadent operates four of the UK’s eight gas distribution networks – North West England, West Midlands, Eastern England and North London.
Its North West network stretches from the Lake District to Crewe and is home to 21,000 miles of distribution pipes (most of them underground) and hundreds of above ground installations. If placed end to end, that amount of pipes would stretch from Bolton to Sydney, Australia, and back again.
Around £800m will be invested in the North West’s gas network over the next five years. This will maintain safe, secure supplies to homes, hospitals, schools, offices and other sites, as well as support the UK journey to net zero carbon emissions.
Backed by Cadent and many partners, the North West region is set to lead the way in a major shift from fossil gases to hydrogen. Producing only heat and water at point of use, hydrogen is key to the UK’s net zero future and is set to be introduced at volume in the North West soon.
Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change. Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency. Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing.
Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.
Cadent manages the national gas emergency service free phone line on behalf of the gas industry - 0800 111 999*
Cadent Gas Ltd is owned by a consortium of global investors.
*All calls are recorded and may be monitored.
0797 069 4897
