Contractors working on Cadent’s gas mains replacement scheme have hit their annual target with weeks to spare.
Engineering firm Costain announced that it has already met its target to replace 340km of gas mains in Cadent’s East of England network by the end of March.
The contractor is now expecting to have replaced 380km of gas mains by the end up the year.
Laura Hughes, energy director at Costain, said: “This is a hugely fulfilling programme for our team and the whole of the supply chain. We’ve passed an important milestone and are on track to exceed our target by an additional 40km of new gas pipeline.
“The UK’s gas distribution network needs to undergo significant improvements to allow us to decarbonise our energy system, comply with environmental legislation and upgrade ageing assets.
“Collectively with Cadent, we are improving the lives of thousands of people in the East of England by upgrading pipelines to ensure homes remain heated. I’m particularly impressed with our strong performance on safety and efficiency.”
The programme is in the third year of a five-year contract, with the option to extend by a further five years.
Mark Briggs, head of investment planning at Cadent, added: “We’ve been working alongside Costain for a number of years now and we are very pleased to see these sorts of results being achieved.
“The work carried out by Costain is part of a big investment programme across the East of England to modernise the gas network – keeping people warm in their homes now and getting the network ready for lower-carbon gases in the future.
“Of course, we won’t be resting on our laurels and as one financial year comes to an end, we’ll continue to work collaboratively with Costain to make sure that we push on with this fantastic work; looking forward to driving further efficiencies ensuring a safe, more customer focused plan.”
The work is being carried out as part of the 30-year Iron Mains Risk Reduction Programme, which requires gas distribution networks to replace aging iron mains that are at risk of leaking with modern plastic pipes if they are located within 30 metres of an occupied building.
The programme of work is due to be complete in 2032. However, there have been calls for the programme to be reviewed given the uncertainty about gas networks’ role in home heating.