A £160m renewable energy plant on Teeside has installed Protecta-Line barrier pipe for the safe transportation of water on the site.

Port Clarence Renewable Energy Plant was constructed on the Clarence Works site, which has a long history of heavy industry and port related works including steel production, chemical manufacturing, iron works and oil and gas refining and storage.

Preliminary risk assessments of the site found elevated levels of soil and groundwater contamination and, following further site investigations, the developer stipulated that a barrier pipe must be used for the potable water supply and Protecta-Line was selected as a safe and reliable solution.

As part of the construction project, 700 metres of 63mm Protecta-Line was installed to transport potable water from the boundary to the office building to ensure safe drinking water is supplied to the personnel working on site in the offices.

Protecta-Line has was also installed to serve the fire hydrant ring main, with 1,200 metres of 125mm Protecta-Line conveying water from the boundary to the ring main that runs around the site for fire protection. As the fire hydrant ring main will not be used frequently, it is vital that the required flow levels are available when called upon and any contamination of the water could attack the pipe and cause damage, which would restrict the flow of water in the event of a fire. Protecta-Line not only ensures that the water remains clean, but the smooth bore of the internal PE pipe also resists corrosion and limescale build-up, offering further reassurance that flow levels will be maintained over the lifetime of the system.

Commenting on the project, Paul Hurst from Thermofuse Pipelines said: “With a proven track record of successful installations in similar applications, Protecta-Line was the ideal choice for this project, and while its performance benefits were clear to us, it was the service we received from GPS that was the deciding factor. From the initial enquiry through to delivery, we received fantastic support to ensure we ordered the correct pipe, which was then delivered to site quickly and efficiently.”

Available in sizes up to 630mm, Protecta-Line is a fully approved integrated barrier pipe and fittings system. Its tough multi-layer construction incorporates an impermeable aluminum barrier layer wrapped onto a central core of PE80 or Excel (PE100) pipe to ensure that any contaminants remaining in brownfield sites and former industrial land cannot permeate into the water supply. The original barrier pipe system, Protecta-Line has been trusted by water companies, contractors and installers for more than 20 years.

To find out more about Protecta-Line click here.