The pandemic has delayed natural gas in the North Pole area. The Interior Gas Utility has a network of distribution pipe in several neighborhoods in the community, but filling the system awaits completion of two North Pole LNG storage tanks, a project IGU General Manager Dan Britton, told a Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation energy group yesterday, has been slowed by pandemic related issues.
Britton said the 150-thousand-gallon North Pole LNG storage facility was scheduled to be completed in September, but the date has been pushed out.
….until December first.”
Meanwhile, Briton says the cost of gas to an IGU customer is the equivalent of 2.75 per gallon heating oil, and with oil currently a lot cheaper than that, conversions to gas may be slower than anticipated, a situation Britton said has delayed planned expansion of an IGU’s Cook Inlet LNG processing plant.
…on new customers.”
Britton said so far this year about 130 new customers have signed up for service, and that even though, the North Pole area won’t have gas until the winter, service connections can be readied now.
…in the winter.”
Briton also highlighted Fairbanks North Star Borough programs which can help residents cover the cost of converting heating systems to natural gas.