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Hartlepool Fuel Poverty Project Underway

More than 100 homes inHartlepoolcould soon be enjoying instant hot water and gas central heating for the very first time, thanks to a major fuel poverty project which is now underway.

Regional housing company, Guinness Northern Counties, is joining forces with Northern Gas Networks and Community Energy Solutions (CES) to replace the heating systems in 106 properties in the town’s Dyke House and Stranton wards, which were previously without a mains gas supply

Northern Gas Networks, in partnership with South Tyneside-based community interest company CES, has already extended the gas pipeline to the properties at Lynnfield Road and Lonsdale Court, with the £140,000 cost being fully funded by Northern Gas Networks as part of its on-going programme to tackle fuel poverty across the North East, most of Yorkshire and northern Cumbria.

Kevin Drake, Programme Manager for Northern Gas Networks said: “Northern Gas Networks is committed to funding projects, like this one, which help our customers across the North of England to benefit from more efficient and cost effective energy solutions.”

The successful completion of the network extension works last month, mean that the 106 newly-connected properties can now be fitted with a full gas central heating system for the first time.

Work to replace the existing electric storage heaters with new gas central heating systems will be carried out by Guinness Northern Counties over the next few weeks, with residents set to benefit from lower fuel bills and reduced carbon emissions.

Catherine Wright, Housing Manager for Guinness Northern Counties, said: “Guinness Northern Counties is committed to helping build communities where residents are happy to live both now, and in the longer-term.

“The work carried out by Northern Gas Networks and Community Energy Solutions means we are now well on our way to achieving that at bothLynnfield RoadandLonsdale Court, with all 106 properties that have been given a gas connection also set to receive a new gas central heating system in time for the autumn.”

The Hartlepool extension is the latest in a series of similar Fuel Poor projects successfully undertaken through the partnership between Northern Gas Networks and Community Energy Solutions, which has now reached more than 2000 homes across the North East andYorkshirethrough the fuel poor gas network extension scheme.

This was the first of two projects to be completed by the partnership on behalf of Guinness Northern Counties, with the second taking place inLeeds.

Chris Sowerbutts, Project Manager for CES, said: “The partnership between CES and Northern Gas Networks has proven to be extremely successful over the past few years and we are delighted to have passed the 2000 gas connection mark through the dedicated community project initiative, whilst working to assistGuinnessNorthernCountiesand the residents ofHartlepool.”

Community Energy Solutions was established by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (formerly DTI) in 2006 to tackle the issue of affordable warmth by updating householders’ fuel options either by extending the mains gas supply or, where that’s not possible, introducing affordable renewable energy alternatives.

For more information about Community Energy Solutions and its work across the UKvisit www.cesgroup.org or call 0191 5377200

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