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Duffryn Heat Network Upgrade Completion Secures Sustainable Energy for Over 1,000 Customers

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The newly upgraded pipeline for the Duffryn Heat Network officially went live on Monday 13 May 2024 with Owain Roberts (Director of Property and Place, Newport City Homes) and Dave Hutchinson, Vital Energi’s Operations Director for Heat Networks, ceremonially opening the main valve.

The Duffryn Heat Network Replacement Project is one of the largest heat network upgrades in the UK and saw Vital Energi replace 7.5km of district heating pipework. The project received £3.7m towards the cost of replacing the pipework from the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).

With the original installation coming to the end of its life, the new network will deliver sustainable heating and hot water to over 1000 customers for decades to come.

Sonia Furzland, Executive Director of Operations for Newport City Homes said, “The Duffryn District Heat Network Replacement Project has been a vast undertaking, and we’re grateful for the patience and support shown to our colleagues by Duffryn residents throughout the duration of these works.

Duffryn Energy Centre is a central part of the Duffryn community. The new pipework secures the future of the Energy Centre and will continue to deliver sustainable heating and hot water to our customers for decades to come.”

The Duffryn estate was constructed in the 1970’s, with the Energy Centre installed at the same time. In 2015, construction began on the innovative 2.5MW biomass boiler which uses locally sourced wood chip to deliver low-carbon heat to residents.

Ashley Walsh explained, “This network has a core part in people’s day to day lives so we’re extremely happy to have been involved in upgrading it, making it more efficient, reliable and bringing it into the 21st century.

“New products and techniques are now far superior to the technology around when the network was first established, so not only will this heat network last longer. It will also lose less heat and deliver better value for money for its customers.”