A major milestone has been reached in a project that will keep tens of thousands of homes in Cumbria warm for decades.
Cadent’s multi-million-pound gas pipeline is now commissioned and distributing gas to buildings and other sites from Ulverston to Barrow-in-Furness.
After months of work – including the creation of a new 73m tunnel beneath Ulverston Canal – the new pipeline is now operational.
The switch from the old pipeline – which needed replacing after showing signs of deterioration – happened without anyone noticing, the company said.
“That’s the big success story here,” said Paula Steer, network director for Cadent in the North West.
“The fact that tens of thousands of homes are now being served by a completely new pipeline — and no one noticed the switch — is a huge achievement.
“It’s a credit to the teams who planned and delivered this project with such precision.
“Gas kept flowing, boilers kept running, cookers stayed lit – a complex engineering project delivered brilliantly.
“This is a big project and we have worked hard to minimise our impact on the local community and the environment.
“The teams are already working to reinstate the land and be off-site, on schedule, around the end of October.”
The new 850m pipeline runs mostly through fields beside Ulverston Canal, replacing an ageing pipe beneath the canal footpath that had begun to show signs of deterioration.
A key part of the project involved boring a 73m tunnel beneath the waterway, to carry the pipeline from one side to the other.
United Infrastructure was the main contractor delivering the project, working alongside specialist tunnelling contractor Joseph Gallagher Ltd.
The team worked to a timeline to ensure completion before nesting season, with no disruption to local wildlife including otters and bats.
James O’Donnell, operations director, United Infrastructure, said: “The safe completion of this complex engineering project marks a significant milestone, showcasing the hard work and close collaboration of everyone involved.
“We are now focused on the final stage of the project, reinstating the land with minimal disruption to the local community in Ulverston.”
