BATH

Maine Natural Gas, which already has hooked up Bath Iron Works and Hyde School with pipelines, may further expand service in the city.

Roy Lane, who is responsible for sales at the Brunswickbased company, said the Bath Shopping Center, parts of downtown and residential areas are under consideration for new gas lines.

Maine Natural Gas has concluded its construction season, and typically makes plans for the coming year during the winter, he said.

“We plan to spend a considerable amount of money on expansion in Bath over the next year,” Lane said. “Right now, the focus will be the shopping center, the downtown area and places along the existing gas lines. We’re considering one neighborhood behind the shopping center.”

Maine has relied primarily on oil, wood or electricity for heating, cooling, water heating and manufacturing. That has begun to change, with construction of two major natural gas transmission lines from Canada through Maine during the late 1990s.

Considering the price difference between heating oil and natural gas, Bath businesses and residents could benefit from new energy options.

The average statewide price for No. 2 heating oil was $3.70 per gallon last week. Currently, Lane said, the price of natural gas is approximately 45 percent to 50 percent of the price of oil.

Natural gas is usually measured by volume and is stated in cubic feet.

Once a business or home is connected to a natural gas line, the home or business owner has a choice of the gas supplier.

“We’re getting calls from people all the time,” Lane said. “We want the people of Bath to know that our plans are to expand.”

Lane added that his company will provide new lines in areas where it makes “economic sense.” Bath, with its high population density, would appear to be a good fit, he said.

“Every line in Bath provides a welcome opportunity for them, to hook up the homes and businesses,” City Manager Bill Giroux said. “People and businesses in Bath are anxious to have access to natural gas. We encourage them to run their lines to as many neighborhoods as possible. They can’t run the lines soon enough.”

Many home and business owners would need to modify or replace furnaces in order to accommodate natural gas.

Bath City Hall is ahead of the curve, Giroux said. The furnaces are set up for easy, inexpensive conversion.

lgrard@timesrecord.com