With technical support from Taranaki bordering on wizardry, NGC last night announced it had completed erecting the two temporary towers across the Pohangina River, near Ashurst in the Manawatu, ahead of schedule. “Two Towers Completed” blazed the NGC headline.

Work on the temporary river crossing, using new pipe and related equipment from Taranaki, started early last week after the February 15 washout of the Pohangina road bridge left NGC’s gas transmission pipe in a precarious position.

Major Hawkes Bay gas users, particularly Heinz Wattie in Hastings, were relieved when the damaged pipeline was recommissioned last Friday night and gas again started flowing.

However, NGC warned that it considered the line to still be at risk until the temporary aerial river crossing, - to replace the recommissioned damaged section - had been completed.

Last night it said work at the site was continuing in fine conditions with completion of construction still scheduled for Friday. All welds on the pipe for the eastern side of the temporary crossing had been examined by x-ray.

Survey work for a permanent trenched pipeline was completed last Monday and detailed planning for its construction was underway. That pipeline was expected to be completed by the end of April.

Meanwhile, chief executive Phil James today announced that NGC was making a NZ$50,000 contribution to the mayors of Napier and Hastings to distribute for humanitarian purposes to victims of last week’s flood disaster.