Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks MP today, 27 November, officially marked the completion of National Grid’s new 316km Milford Haven to Tirley natural gas pipeline by opening a valve to let gas into the final section to be commissioned.
The pipeline is part of a major project to link the new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals at Milford Haven to National Grid’s existing National Transmission System at Tirley in Gloucestershire. The pipeline will be available to transport natural gas by mid December, so meeting the challenging three year deadline.
Today the Energy Minister was at Felindre to open the valve to allow gas into the pipeline between Felindre and Brecon, the final section to be commissioned.
The Milford Haven to Aberdulais pipeline was commissioned earlier this month, and the section from Brecon to Tirley has also been tested and filled with gas.
Opening the valve, Mr Wicks said: “National Grid’s new pipeline will be able to carry 20 per cent or more of the UK’s gas needs, once imports into Milford Haven start next year, and it will also help to secure Wales’ energy supply for many years to come.
“In the past, Wales’s gas has been piped through England and Scotland. Now, for the first time, Wales is at the front end of the UK’s gas supply system.
“The new pipeline will also allow further economic development in South Wales, with new power stations and industrial expansion possible. Thanks to the pipeline there is also the potential to meet rising demand, and connect more homes to the gas distribution network.”
National Grid Executive Director, Transmission, Nick Winser said: “This has been a massive engineering feat for National Grid and it is a fantastic achievement by everyone involved in delivering this major UK infrastructure project.
“We have worked hard to balance issues such as the concerns of landowners, topographical constraints, environmental effects, and construction difficulties. We have worked closely with both the statutory bodies, local councils and communities to minimise the temporary effects of construction on the environment and local people.”
High quality reinstatement of the land is extremely important to National Grid. To ensure we achieve the quality we would expect, our careful reinstatement programme will continue into next spring. This will not affect the operation of the pipelines.
National Grid has an exemplary safety record and we are one of the world leaders in gas pipeline safety. The pipeline has been designed and will operate to an internationally recognised design code (TD/1) published by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers.
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