Fastflow turns up the pressure in East Anglia

National Grid’s working partnership with Fastflow Energy Projects (a trading division of Fastflow Pipeline Services Ltd) continues as the Lichfield based pipeline utility specialists begin reinforcement works on the East Anglia Local Transmission Network (LTS).

The £1.5m project will see the capacity of the LTS increased at Matching Green in Harlowe, Essex, to enable National Grid to operate feeder No. 18, running from here to Cambridge at the optimized pressure range of 75 to 20 bar. This will allow additional diurnal line pack which will supplement the LTS Hypergrid pipeline in times of high demand.

Fastflow will be working on site at Matching Green AGI until October 2011, reconfiguring the PRS station to provide both fill and empty cycles.

Awarded to Fastflow Energy Projects (FEP) after a competitive tendering process, the project is one of a number of high profile contracts the company has won with National Grid in the last 12 months; including a pair of high pressure diversion works on the A1and the A1073 near Peterborough.

Bill Wright, Senior Project Manager for National Grid, UK Construction, is pleased to be calling on FEP’s expertise again. He said: “Fastflow has impressed us in the past by demonstrating extremely high standards, a vast pool of resources and above all safety and environmental performance. This project will require team work, Health and Safety awareness and excellent communication with stakeholders and local people in order to minimise disturbance through noise and traffic disruption.”

These possible risks have been addressed through public consultation with residents and parish councillors, enabling a collaborative plan to be created to suit all parties.

Martin Sperrink, Operations Director for FEP, said: “It is testament to a lot of hard work that we have been able to retain our working relationship with National Grid and continue to win new contracts. We are working through difficult times but by consistently delivering projects on budget, on time and to a high standard we continue to grow as a company.”