National Grid begins £40 million gas mains replacement scheme in London on Monday 18 August

• Vital work is part of National Grid’s £40 million London gas mains replacement scheme
• National Grid has brought the work forward to fit in with local regeneration work
• Road and lane closures and diversions will be kept to a minimum

LONDON, 11-8-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — On Monday 18 August National Grid will begin ten weeks’ work in Camomile Street to replace and upgrade the ageing gas mains with new ultra-tough pipes.

A number of temporary road and lane closures will be needed along with some diversions to ensure the work is completed safely and efficiently.

The work has been bought forward to fit in with local regeneration work being carried out in Aldgate and is being co-ordinated with Transport for London and the City of London.

National Grid’s project will help ensure the City of London remains a leading global financial centre with this major investment in capital’s infrastructure, The work is part of a £40million National Grid programme  to replace ageing metal gas mains with new pipes made of polyethylene, an ultra-tough material which lasts for decades.

National Grid Project Engineer Mick Morris said: “London is one of the world’s leading cities and to maintain that status and future prosperity it needs to have good infrastructure.

“It’s our job to connect people to the energy they need and this project will help ensure the City of London continues to enjoy safe and reliable gas supplies for decades to come.”

Once the work in Aldgate is complete, there will be with subsequent phases of the programme in Houndsditch, Goring Street, St Mary Axe, Outwich Street and Cutler Street.

The latest and most efficient technology is being used to deliver the work to minimise disruption and noise levels. The new high capacity polyethylene pipes are being inserted into the old metal ones wherever possible. This dramatically reduces the need for digging and minimises the disruption to road users and residents.

National Grid will contact any properties where service pipes need to be replaced and arrange to carry out this work.  Otherwise work should not result in any interruptions to the local gas supply.

The local community and surrounding businesses will be kept informed about the progress of the project with letters. Road signs and special QR codes will also be put up to assist roadusers.

People are also reminded that they should ask to see official identification from anyone trying to gain access to their property. For more advice on this or for more information on the project call 0800 096 5678 or go to www.roadworks.org

End

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Notes to Editors:
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.  We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source.  In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.

In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.  In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.

National Grid in the UK:

▪           We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain

▪           We own and operate the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain

▪           Our gas distribution business delivers gas to around 11 million homes and businesses

▪           We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering

▪           National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry – 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).

▪           Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property. National Grid Carbon Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid and it undertakes Carbon Capture Storage related activities on behalf of National Grid.

National Grid in the US:

▪           In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.

▪           National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in north eastern U.S., serving approximately 3.6 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.