Kantor

Implementation of an Oregon law to phase out coal use in power generation will depend heavily on using natural gas as a backup as the state’s reliance on renewable resources grows, Portland-based NW Natural CEO Gregg Kantor said this month during a first quarter earnings conference call.

Previously announced plans for expanding natural gas storage to serve expanded gas-fired power generation in the Pacific Northwest are moving along on schedule through the Oregon regulatory process, Portland-based NW Natural CEO Gregg Kantor said Tuesday during a quarterly earnings conference call.

While more natural gas storage remains problematic in the West in the short term, the growth in shale development and renewable energy in the power sector hold considerable promise for storage in the longer term, according to NW Natural CEO Gregg Kantor.