PHILADELPHIA (June 24, 2009) – Next month, PECO will install a patented circular-woven fabric liner in its large natural gas mains along Conshohocken State Road in Lower Merion Township. The utility’s upgrade will restore the underground pipe to its original strength, eliminate frequent leaks, and mitigate inconvenience to the area from a longer and more costly pipe replacement project.

Work will begin during the week of July 13 in the vicinity of Conshohocken State Road (Route 23) and Green Valley Road. The work will close one lane of traffic, and a flagger will divert traffic around the construction.  The utility expects the $255,000 project to last about six weeks.

Using this product, the trenchless technology and liner requires less excavation, reduces the length of the project, minimizes traffic disruption and impact on local residents, and saves an estimated 25 percent from the project cost. A full-scale pipe replacement would have lasted about three weeks longer.

The project involves limited excavation to open the underground pipe at three locations, cleaning the interior of the pipe followed by a camera inspection, and then installing the fabric liner in the 16-inch steel main between Country Club Drive and Norsam Road.

In cooperation with Lower Merion Township, PECO is working on the project with Danella Construction and Progressive Pipeline Management (PPM) of Iowa, which has the exclusive U.S. license to install the lining system, which was developed in Germany.