Harbour Patrollers carry out vital work to South West energy supply

Published: 29 September 2020

Vital work to protect the South West’s energy supply has been carried out on the Exe Estuary.

Harbour Patrollers from Exeter City Council have been safeguarding gas pipes that run underneath the bed of the estuary. The pipes carry gas to the whole of the South West.

The team from the City’s Port Authority have been putting in place a ‘box’ of brightly-coloured buoys warning boats not to drop anchor over the important power supply.

The work is being carried out on behalf of The National Grid.

Harbour Master Grahame Forshaw said that the old buoys had deteriorated over time and were less visible.

“We’re changing the special buoys to make the box around the pipeline more distinct so that yachtsmen know that they shouldn’t drop anchor anywhere near the gaspipe,” he added.

The buoys have ‘No anchoring – gas pipe’ written on them and a number have flashing lights that come on at dusk.