Gas emergency and pipeline service, Wales & West Utilities, has formally opened its new depot in Bristol.
The new £4m base, on the site of a former gas holder off Glenfrome Road in Eastville, will become the central hub for the engineers working across the city and beyond, keeping the gas flowing safely and reliably to local homes and businesses.
Between 2021-2026, Wales & West Utilities is investing £400m to prepare the gas network across Wales and south west England to transport hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future. A single, well insulated and energy efficient building, the depot will be the home of the engineers delivering this work.
Reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainability, the building is energy efficient, and the site has almost 0.5 hectares set aside for biodiversity enhancements, including a pond area to promote wildlife and flowers, and preservation of existing badger runs.
Wales & West Utilities employs approximately 150 colleagues in Bristol and the new base will include space for both operational and office-based teams.
Rob Long, Wales & West Utilities Chief Operating Officer, said:
We’re hugely excited to open our new state-of-the-art depot in Bristol. It is the home of the many engineers and support teams that keep the gas flowing safely, respond to gas emergencies, and are working to prepare the gas network for green gases like hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future.
Our new base has been built to exacting environmental standards. From solar panels and Electric Vehicle charging points to biodiversity enhancements, this depot is ready to support our teams and the local community long into the future.
The site off Glenfrome Road has a long history of industry. A Brick Kiln was on the site between 1883 and 1918, and there was a gasholder on the site from 1953, before it was demolished in 2013. Bristol City Council granted planning permission for Wales & West Utilities new, green energy depot in February 2021.
Wales & West Utilities is the company that look after the pipes that keep the gas flowing to heat the homes and power businesses of 7.5m people across Wales and south west England. They operate the gas emergency service, connect new homes and businesses, and upgrade the gas network so it’s safe today and fit for the future.
The company is also committed to playing its part in getting to Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. It has 46 power stations connected to its network to support renewables like wind and solar power, while 20 green gas sites inject enough decarbonised green gas to power approx. 180,000 homes, Additionally, the company’s network supplies bus garages in three locations across the south west of England, fuelling CNG buses that improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions from public transport.