Maine Natural Gas Co. (MNG), a subsidiary of Energy EastCorp., began construction early last week on a new 14-mile natural gas pipeline to serve the Brunswick Naval Air Station (BNAS) and homes and businesses in the surrounding towns of Topsham and Brunswick, ME. MNG previously announced that it had entered into a multi-year contract with the base to serve 30 buildings and several housing complexes in June 2000 (see NGI, July 3, 2000).

MNG’s new pipeline will interconnect with the Maritimes & Northeast interstate pipeline in Bowdoin, ME. Construction consists of the 14-mile steel pipeline, a metering station in Bowdoin, and approximately seven miles of plastic pipe for distribution throughout the base. The company said it expects to have construction completed and service running by November.

“We are excited to be providing many years of quality gas service to the BNAS and to customers in Brunswick and Topsham,” said Darrel R. Quimby, MNG’s vice president. “A competitively priced, clean-burning and reliable supply of natural gas will benefit the local economy, the environment and consumers throughout the region.”

MNG said last year that the BNAS pipe contract marks the first step toward its goal of introducing the natural gas energy option to Maine consumers along the entire mid-coast region of the state. Expansion of the plastic distribution system to homes and businesses in Topsham and Brunswick will begin later this year and continue in 2002 and 2003, the company said.

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