A project to convert bottled gas to piped natural gas in the Heyan Street area of Fengjing Town, scheduled for 2026, has officially begun. To address construction challenges such as the unique structure of ancient town houses, narrow historic alleyways, and complex underground utility networks, a tailored construction plan has been developed. This initiative aims to replace bottled liquefied gas with piped natural gas, resolving the long-standing difficulties of traditional gas use in the old town and providing residents with safer, more convenient, and more economical clean energy.
On August 4, at the construction site on Heyan Street in Fengjing Town, the work was orderly and well-managed within the bluestone-paved alleys. Staff clearly divided their tasks and worked steadily, carrying out processes such as trench excavation and pipeline laying in a methodical manner, ensuring the project progressed smoothly.
This natural gas conversion project on Heyan Street is set to completely eliminate the long-standing limitations of bottled gas in the old town. It will improve residents' gas conditions from multiple perspectives, including safety, economic efficiency, and convenience, continuously upgrading the town's public amenities. Local residents have expressed strong support for the renovation. Liu Yuexin, a resident of Heyan Street, calculated the cost savings: "A bottle of liquefied gas used to cost 159 yuan, and I would finish it in just over a month. I didn't dare use it much for stewing bones or cooking, preferring to use electricity instead because the cost was too high. Now that piped natural gas is available, the expense will be cut by two-thirds. I won't have to worry about the cost of daily gas use anymore."
As a historically significant town, Fengjing's Heyan Street retains many Ming and Qing dynasty brick-and-wood structures. These old houses commonly have issues such as kitchens without ventilation windows, pipelines needing to pass through living spaces, and unique structural features. Combined with the narrow alleyways and crisscrossing underground utilities, the construction difficulty for this project is far higher than that for typical residential communities. To balance construction safety, engineering quality, and residents' daily lives, the gas company conducted a thorough house-by-house survey in advance. They inspected each building's structure, assessed the construction environment, precisely determined safe working conditions, and customized a suitable construction plan to minimize risks.
The meticulous and considerate construction service has won widespread approval from residents. "The construction workers are very careful and thorough. Before starting work, they always come to discuss our installation needs and try to fit the work around our daily habits," said Wang Chunzhen, a Heyan Street resident. She noted that the construction team works in sections each day and cleans up the roads promptly after finishing, a service she described as very thoughtful.
To minimize the impact on residents' lives during the renovation, the existing bottled gas cylinders can still be used, ensuring daily routines are not disrupted. After the pipeline installation for a single household is completed and the entire system passes a pressure-maintenance test, residents only need to bring their property deed and ID card to apply for gas activation, enabling a smooth and seamless transition from bottled gas to piped natural gas.
According to Yu Shunyao, head of the engineering department at Shanghai Wanshihong Pipeline Gas Operation Co., Ltd., the "bottle-to-pipe" project on Heyan Street covers 107 households. Currently, 60% of the underground pipeline installation and 40% of the above-ground pipeline installation are complete, putting the overall project progress at about 40%. It is expected that the final inspection will be completed by the end of September, after which residents will gradually gain access to piped natural gas.
In recent years, Fengjing Town has been consistently upgrading its public infrastructure, steadily advancing the installation, upgrading, and connection of the town's gas pipeline network, and continuously improving the urban gas supply system. To date, the town has approximately 21,000 households connected to gas, with a pipeline coverage rate of 97%. High-quality clean energy is now widely available across the town, enhancing the happiness and sense of fulfillment of its residents through these small but meaningful improvements to public services.