Need to know
Homes have had their gas supply cut off and now engineers have to visit every property to reconnect it
Gas engineers have been working to repair a damaged gas main in Devon
Everything you need to know:
- Major Gas Outage in Devon: A significant gas leak has cut off energy supplies to a large area of the South Hams, including Kingsbridge, Malborough, and Salcombe. The outage occurred after a third party accidentally damaged a main gas pipeline while working in a field.
- Challenging Repair Successfully Completed: Engineers from Wales & West Utilities worked throughout the night in difficult conditions to fix the ruptured pipe. Although the main repair is now finished, the process of safely restoring gas to individual properties is still ongoing.
- Mandatory Two-Step Safety Check: Restoring the supply requires engineers to visit every single affected home and business twice to ensure the system is safe. First, they must manually turn off the control valve at each meter before they can safely repressurise the local network.
- Home Visits Required for Restoration: Once the network is ready, workers must visit every property a second time to turn the gas back on and relight appliances. Residents are being asked to stay at home or leave a key with a neighbour to help speed up this massive logistical task.
- Vulnerable Residents Prioritised: The utility company is working closely with local councils to identify and support people on the Priority Services Register. Extra resources, such as alternative heating and cooking facilities, are being provided to those most at risk during the outage.
- Severe Weather Complications: The timing of the incident is particularly critical as it coincides with a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice. Plummeting temperatures have made the lack of heating a serious concern for the thousands of households affected.
- Call for Public Cooperation: Wales & West Utilities has drafted in extra staff from across the region to complete the mammoth task of visiting every building. They have urged the public to be patient and cooperate with engineers to ensure the restoration is completed as quickly as possible.
- Ongoing Safety Warnings: Residents are reminded to never attempt to turn their own gas back on until an official engineer has visited and performed the necessary checks. If anyone smells gas or suspects a leak during this process, they should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately.
Read the full story here: Wales and West Utilities Gas must be restored home by home after ‘very challenging’ problem
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