Work gets under way to extend gas network

Householders and business owners in Hillsborough and Annahilt could have the option of connecting to the natural gas network within a matter of months.
Colleen Patton is congratulated by Philip Smith MLA and Neil McCracken, Domestic Sales Manager at Phoenix Natural Gas, on being the first customer to connect to the natural gas network as part of a major expansion project by the company to extend the pipeline to towns and villages across Co Down.Colleen Patton is congratulated by Philip Smith MLA and Neil McCracken, Domestic Sales Manager at Phoenix Natural Gas, on being the first customer to connect to the natural gas network as part of a major expansion project by the company to extend the pipeline to towns and villages across Co Down.
Colleen Patton is congratulated by Philip Smith MLA and Neil McCracken, Domestic Sales Manager at Phoenix Natural Gas, on being the first customer to connect to the natural gas network as part of a major expansion project by the company to extend the pipeline to towns and villages across Co Down.

According to Phoenix Natural Gas, work to extend the network to more than 1,700 properties in the Hillsborough area is scheduled to commence within the next two months and will continue until 2018.

The company has also revealed that it hopes to connect more than 350 properties in the Annahilt area to the network before the end of 2017.

Subject to approvals from TransportNI, Phoenix anticipates that the earliest connections in the two areas will be available from this summer.

The work to bring natural gas to Hillsborough and Annahilt is part of a major £60 million project to extend the network to 13 towns and villages across Co Down.

Mrs Colleen Patton from Ballygowan recently became the first customer connected to the Phoenix Natural Gas network as part of the scheme.

Meanwhile, the popular government-funded Boiler Replacement Allowance has been extended beyond March 2017.

Under the scheme, home owners could be eligible for a grant of up to £1,000 towards the cost of replacing inefficient boilers that are over 15 years old with an energy efficient condensing boiler.

For further information about the Boiler Replacement Allowance, or to check the eligibility criteria, log on to www.nihe.gov.uk