Unitil Completes Natural Gas System Upgrades In Munjoy Hill Neighborhood

Unitil, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, has completed its System Upgrade for Reliable Energy (SURE) project in Portland's Munjoy Hill Neighborhood. The Unitil SURE project, a 14-year initiative, is modernizing the Portland area's gas infrastructure, making it more reliable and better able to meet the growing demand for natural gas in Maine.

 

This summer and fall, more than 2.35 miles of cast iron pipe in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood --some more than 100 years old--were replaced with state-of-the-art, high density plastic pipe. An additional 1.17 miles of pipe were upgraded to allow the system to operate at a higher pressure, modernizing the local infrastructure. NEUCO, the contractor for Unitil’s SURE project, began replacement of gas mains and service lines throughout the Munjoy Hill area in April of this year. During the construction work, twenty residential property owners in the neighborhood were able to convert to natural gas service to heat their homes. Local residents were kept informed of the project through informational meetings, a special Website devoted to construction information and regular contact throughout the construction season .

 

"Thanks to the collaboration with approximately 500 residential property owners of Munjoy Hill and the city of Portland, we were able to complete this year’s SURE project construction safely and efficiently," said Matt Doughty, SURE project manager, Unitil. "We're very grateful to the residents in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood and thank them for their cooperation and understanding during construction this year."

 

In four years, Unitil has completed 30% of the 14-year long project. Construction in 2014 also included the addition of ten miles of steel main pipes system-wide and upgrades more than 100 pressure limiting valves.  In 2015, the fifth year of the project, Unitil will install a new intermediate pressure main along Washington Avenue from Ocean Avenue to Allen Avenue, and upgrade adjacent streets. Plans also include pipeline replacement along Spring Street, near the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland.  For the latest information about the SURE project and construction schedules, please visit www.ngupgrade.com or call Unitil’s toll-free hotline 1-866-821-4386.

 

Unitil is focused on the safety of its customers and encourages natural gas customers to be aware of steps they can take to keep their property and loved ones safe. For comprehensive safety information, including gas emergency tips, please visit www.unitil.com/gassafety.