The $2 million project will replace almost 15 km of underground cast-iron, low-pressure gas mains with modern, polypropylene high-pressure mains as part of SP AusNet’s larger program to replace all low-pressure gas mains throughout its network by 2025.
SP AusNet Gas Project Manager Alan Caudle said “Since inheriting the gas network, SP AusNet has spent tens of millions upgrading to the high-pressure mains for customer in our gas network. High-pressure mains improve the safety and supply reliability of gas delivery to our customers. Once this project is completed, there will no remaining low-pressure mains in the town of Castlemaine.”?
Mr Caudle said a lot of planning had been invested in this project to ensure minimal disruption to the 778 properties in the area.
In the last twelve months, SP AusNet has replaced 82 km of low-pressure mains with high-pressure mains, commissioned 147 km of new gas mains, and connected 18,514 new customers across the gas network.
“Our low-pressure pipe replacement program and other initiatives have helped reduce the minutes off supply for our gas customers by 11.2 per cent,”? Mr Caudle said.
The Castlemaine replacement project is expected to be complete by mid-2013.