April 29, 2013
Natural gas is on a roll
Natural gas continues to capture headlines as more companies compete to bring it to consumers. While the battle between Summit Natural Gas and Maine Natural Gas continues in central Maine, other players are getting into the natural gas game as well. A summary:
- Maine Natural Gas and Summit Natural Gas, which have been duking it out over a contract to provide natural gas to state facilities in Augusta, are competing now to provide natural gas to city, school, county and court buildings in Augusta, Gardiner and Hallowell. The Kennebec Journal reported that Maine Natural Gas's $50 million proposal focuses on serving about 70% of Augusta's residents and businesses, or roughly 7,500 customers, while Summit submitted a $95 million proposal to serve 13,000 customers in the capital area. Both companies are beginning work this spring on pipelines in the Kennebec Valley.
- Maine Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Iberdrola USA, has signed a letter of intent with Boston-based Xpress Natural Gas to expand natural gas service in the Augusta region before its pipeline there is constructed. Through the agreement, Maine Natural Gas will provide piped gas to XNG, which will build a compressed natural gas facility in the Augusta area and then truck the gas to local customers. The companies refer to the plan as creating a “rolling pipeline” that can reach customers while the Augusta-area pipeline is under construction.
- And two companies announced plans to convert their operations to natural gas. FMC BioPolymer, a Rockland-based company that processes seaweed into carrageenan, plans to install four 18,000-gallon tanks that will receive trucked-in natural gas via two daily deliveries. The project, estimated to cost $5 million, needs local and state approval. And Casella Waste Systems is installing a natural gas fuel station at its Westbrook transfer station to convert its fleet to natural gas. American Natural Gas, which builds natural gas pumping stations, will install the fuel station for Casella pending local approval, according to the American Journal. The company introduced natural gas-fueled trash collection vehicles in its Vermont fleet in 2011.
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