Bord Gáis have marked some of the major milestones in the delivery of natural gas to towns in Co Mayo for the first time, with a gala lunch in Westport attended by public representatives, local authority personnel, state agencies, contractors, customers and project staff. Bord Gáis hosted the event to extend its appreciation to all involved in the completion of the Mayo-Galway pipeline and development of the Gaswest programme and to those who shared the vision of bringing gas to 11 towns along the route.
The €200 million Mayo-Galway pipeline was completed on schedule in 2006. The 149km pipeline extends from Cappagh South, Co Galway to Bellanaboy, Co Mayo. The project employed 500 during peak construction and resulted in the discovery of ten previously unknown archaeological sites along the route. The Mayo-Galway pipeline feeds into Ireland’s 12,375 km natural gas network. The Gaswest project, a €40 million, three-year development project for the west of Ireland, will make natural gas available to seven towns in Mayo and four in Galway along the route of the pipeline. Natural gas is now available in both Westport and Castlebar, with work on the other towns at various stages of development.
In acknowledging the contribution made by the various organisations and individuals involved in bringing natural gas to Mayo, John Barry, Networks Managing Director with Bord Gáis, said: “Today, in this environment of increasing energy prices and energy efficiency awareness, businesses and residents in Mayo will have a real choice and, for the first time, will be free to avail of one of the most competitively priced, clean and convenient fuels. This is as a result of the shared vision, effort and dedication of those who worked to make it happen and the support of the local authorities, landowners, businesses and residents during construction. The economic and environmental benefits from the extension of the gas network will be substantial for all customers in Mayo. The availability of natural gas will help the county to significantly reduce its carbon footprint as natural gas is a clean-burning fossil fuel and has been a major contributor in reducing CO2 emissions and other atmospheric pollutants.”
