Heritage Gas plans no more pipelines in county for this year

Heritage Gas doesn’t have any plans this year for further expansion in Pictou County.

The company is hoping to hook up more customers where the pipeline exists before any more pipe is laid. “Expansion is a function of interest. We’re already in front of 600 homes,” said John Hawkins, vice president of engineering, construction and operations.

Heritage Gas now has 40 customers in the county – 32 commercial and eight residential.

“We’re intending this year to target 350 new customers overall in the province,” he added.

“We’ll continue to expand as customer demand allows,” said Derek Estabrooks, vice president of business development.

Heritage Gas began operations in Pictou County in 2014, and to date has invested $300 million in various areas around the province to construct 500 km of pipeline, which includes the service lines.

In Pictou County, $25 million has been spent on the 45 km of pipeline, which serves parts of Stellarton, New Glasgow and Riverton, along with the Michelin plant in Granton. Last year, 7 km of pipeline was completed, including installing pipe underneath the East River to serve the east side of New Glasgow.

In 2015, New Glasgow Academy and Dr. W.A. MacLeod Consolidated schools were activated as customers, and when renovations to the Aberdeen Hospital are completed in May 2017, it will begin using natural gas as well.

Estabrooks said using natural gas provides environmental benefits, as it’s the cleanest burning fossil fuel, giving off much less greenhouse gas than oil or coal.

“As more homes and businesses in Pictou County convert to natural gas, the greenhouse gas reduction can be significant,” he said.

Since natural gas became available in the province, he said greenhouse gases have been reduced by 200,000 tonnes.

Upcoming plans for Heritage Gas include installing 6 km of new pipeline this year in the metro Halifax area, and seeking a reduction in rates through a Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board hearing in July because of lower pricing in oil and propane.