Wales and West Utilities is investing £6.8 million to replace over 42 kilometers of gas mains across North Wales. The project covers six council areas, including Flintshire and Wrexham, to improve network reliability and safety. This infrastructure upgrade is designed to prepare the existing pipeline network for the transport of greener gases in the future, supporting long term decarbonization goals for regional heating.
Log in to join the discussion
Replacing 42km of pipe across six different council areas for 6.8 million is a tight budget. I wonder if this is just basic maintenance rebranded as green prep. What specific materials are they using to ensure these pipes can actually handle hydrogen blends without leaking?
Exactly. If they are just swapping old iron for plastic, it is standard upkeep. The real question is whether this investment delays the shift to heat pumps in these villages by locking them into gas for another few decades.
The mention of greener gases is the key policy hook here. Most of these utilities are trying to align with net zero mandates by making the network hydrogen ready, but the actual supply of green hydrogen at scale is still a distant prospect.
Basically a 6.8 million spend to refresh pipes in North Wales. They claim it helps with the transition to green gases, but there are no details on the actual timeline for when those gases will be available.
