American Gas - February 2014 - (Page 21)

ad index american gas association survive the kind of regulatory requirements we're seeing," said Schmidt. About 85 percent of Buckley voters favored the deal in the Nov. 5 referendum. The deal with PSE is expected to be completed early this year. -J.P.T. 5, 16 energy worldnet essentra 10 cover 3 gas Technology institute (gTi) 15 grid One 9 p e n n s y l va n i a Heath Consultants 11 What a Deal Holland engineering 10 Acquisition a win-win for companies and consumers piTTSburgH, pa -The acquisition of Equi- table Natural Gas by Peoples Natural Gas closed in December, creating the largest natural gas utility in Pennsylvania. Under the deal, Peoples Natural Gas will add about 275,000 customers, for a total of more than 660,000 in 19 western Pennsylvania counties, West Virginia, and Kentucky. EQT Corp., Equitable's parent company, received $720 million in cash from Peoples along with 200 miles of transmission pipeline and four storage pools with a capacity of 15.1 Bcf. The transaction will allow EQT to focus on its natural gas production and midstream business, EQT CEO David Porges said in a statement. Peoples Gas also agreed to enter long-term contracts for gas transmission, supply, and storage services from EQT, securing 35 Bcf per year of Marcellus Shale gas for Peoples. EQT said it expects to generate at least $40 million in annual revenue from the contracts. The environmental group Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future had challenged the sale, but agreed to withdraw its protest after Peoples agreed to further develop its energy-efficiency programs. In approving the settlement and merger, the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission cited potential cost savings of as much as $20 million a year for the new utility's customers. It will also improve safety by freeing Peoples to accelerate its plans to replace high-risk distribution pipes. "This merger represents a win for consumers," PUC Commissioner Pamela Witmer said in a statement. "Allowing each company to focus on its core business will improve system safety and reliability while saving ratepayers money." -J.P.T. itron 3 a.y. Mcdonald Mfg. Co. 14 Minnich Manufacturing cover 2 north Coast Seal cover 4 pipetel 6 utility pipeline 19 American Gas advertisers support your association. aga members and associates are boldfaced. neXt Month legislative update a close look at the house energy and commerce committee: what it's doing, how it's getting it done, who's making it work, and how serves as a model of bipartisanship. plus: American Gas's annual people to watch section. gas-electric coordination announcing an exciting new proposal to help more electrical plants use natural gas as a fuel source. plus: solving infrastructure challenges in the northeast and Midwest. profile: transportation sec. anthony foXX in an exclusive conversation with American Gas's jen taylor, anthony foxx, fomer mayor of charlotte, n.c., and current secretary of the u.s. department of transportation, talks about the key achievements of the pipeline safety act, how the dot has leveraged resources to address the act's mandates, the agency's national pipeline Mapping system, the natural gas industry's safety record, and, as the youngest current cabinet member, ways in which the industry can build innovation by attracting more young people. february 2014 AmericAn GAs 21

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - February 2014

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American Gas - February 2014