Category: Natural Gas
COVID-19 Alert: Massachusetts Closes “Non-essential” Businesses; Utility Services to Continue
The response to COVID-19 by states across the U.S. has continued to evolve rapidly. In Massachusetts, due to growing concerns over the spread of coronavirus, Governor Charlie Baker issued a “ shelter in place” order that went into effect March 24, 2020 at noon and runs until April 7...
Maine’s COVID-19 Response Impacts Utility Services and Other Business Activities
Like many states, Maine is quickly imposing a wide range of measures designed to protect the public in response to the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19. Almost daily, Maine Governor Janet Mills and other state agencies have announced new measures. On Sunday, March 15, Governor Mills issued a Proclamation...
Recent Maine Legislation Triggers Amendment to PUC Consumer Protection Rules
Last year, the Maine Legislature enacted three bills requiring amendments to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Rules in Ch. 815: Consumer Protection Standards for Electric and Gas Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Utilities . Last month, on February 5, 2020, the PUC issued an Order amending Ch. 815, effective February...
Beneficial Electrification and Natural Gas Bans in New Buildings, Affordable Sustainability
Transmission and distribution (T&D) utility customers have often been understood to care most about two things: reliability and cost—usually, but not necessarily in that order. Climate change and the public’s interest in mitigating it, have begun to change that conventional thinking. The ongoing beat of public climate change advocacy...
The 7th Annual Maine Natural Gas Conference
This past Thursday, October 3, 2019, representatives of regional natural gas distribution companies, energy regulators and attorneys, and renewable energy advocates gathered to discuss the current and future roles of natural gas in our energy industry. Topics ranged from gas-fired generation of electricity, potential future uses of natural gas...
An Interview with ME PUC Chair, Commissioners, and Former Chair
Sourced from Steve Mitnick, Public Utilities Fortnightly , "A Day (Two Actually) at the Maine PUC" (January 2019). In this posting, I summarize a recent series of interviews with the current Maine PUC Chair, Commissioners, and Chair Emeritus, Tom Welch. The interviews appeared in the January 2019 edition of...
Sixth Annual Natural Gas Conference Focused on the Future
More than 100 professionals from the energy industry gathered at The Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine on Thursday, October 18 for the 6th Annual Natural Gas Conference: Focus on the Future, co-hosted by Verrill Dana and Pierce Atwood. The conference kicked off with a keynote address by Mark Vannoy...
Natural Gas: Focus on the Future
As the cold weather approaches and the topic of natural gas is top of mind, Verrill Dana and Pierce Atwood will be hosting their 6th Annual Natural Gas Conference: Focus on the Future on Thursday, October 18 at The Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine. The all-day event will be...
Verrill Dana Co-hosts Fifth Annual Natural Gas Conference
On Thursday, September 28, Verrill Dana and Pierce Atwood co-hosted the 5th Annual Natural Gas Conference: Powering Maine's Future at The Woodlands in Falmouth, Maine. The conference kicked off with Keynote Speaker Governor Paul LePage who discussed the state of the natural gas industry in Maine and its potential...
Natural Gas: Where Do We Go From Here?
With cold weather approaching, natural gas production expected to rise and expansion projects underway, Verrill Dana and Pierce Atwood will host their fourth annual, Natural Gas: Where do we go from here? on Thursday, October 6 at The Woodlands in Falmouth, Maine. The all-day event, co-chaired by Verrill Dana...
Arbitration Award of $1.5 Million to Xpress Natural Gas, LLC Affirmed by Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Recently, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed an arbitrator's award of $1.5 million to Xpress Natural Gas, LLC. The court upheld the arbitrator's decision that Cate Street Capital Inc. was responsible for payments to Xpress Natural Gas that Cate Street's subsidiary, GNP Parent, LLC (formerly known as Great Northern...
MPUC Approves Northern Utilities’ Targeted Area Build-Out Program
Northern Utilities (d/b/a Unitil) recently received Maine Public Utilities Commission approval for a pilot Targeted Area Build-Out (TAB) program in Saco, Maine. The purpose of Unitil's TAB program is to remove the barrier of large contribution in aid of construction (CIAC) payments that new gas customers face when converting...
Maine’s High Court Upholds Bangor Gas Rate Plan Ruling
In an opinion issued this August, the Law Court upheld a Maine Public Utilities Commission order approving a new rate plan for Bangor Gas Company, LLC. A principal issue before the Law Court was whether Bangor Gas should be entitled to recover in its natural gas delivery rates the...
Energy Infrastructure Gets Regional, National and Global Attention
Energy infrastructure is all the rage these days. Earlier this week the White House released its inaugural Quadrennial Energy Review , which "examines how to modernize our nation's energy infrastructure to promote economic competitiveness, energy security and environmental responsibility." Not surprisingly, the report calls for major investments to upgrade...
