Unitil (Unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, will commence its eleventh year of a 14–year project initiative to modernize the Portland area’s natural gas infrastructure. The System Upgrade for Reliable Energy (SURE) project will ensure a more reliable system to meet the increasing demand for natural gas in Maine.
"We are grateful to the residents and businesses in the Portland area for their ongoing cooperation and support throughout our multi-year project."
Alec O'Meara, Media Relations Manager
The initial work for 2021 is scheduled to begin today and will tailor to four zones in particular including Forest Ave, between Homestead Ave and Castine Ave, Woodford St, from Hillis St to Deering Ave, Portland’s West End, and Congress at High St area. This multi-year project is synchronized with local city and state projects along with Unitil’s routine maintenance of the expanding distribution system.
Approximately 9.8 miles of gas main will be replaced or upgraded to a higher pressure during this year’s SURE project construction and excavation work. Unitil will also upgrade over 713 service lines. This year’s initiative is expected to conclude in November. .
"We’re continuing to update the infrastructure in a safe and timely manner, while enhancing system performance and increasing capacity. We are grateful to the residents and businesses in the Portland area for their ongoing cooperation and support throughout our multi-year project," said Unitil's Media Relations Manager Alec O'Meara.
As the project progresses, traffic will be moving at all times and there are no scheduled road closures. Minor delays are expected. Local and commuting traffic will be maintained efficiently throughout the project. New England Utility Constructors (NEUCO) is the contractor for the SURE project.
Due to the construction work in Portland, Unitil will be able to offer natural gas service to new customers who live near the existing pipeline. Residents and businesses in the neighborhood who are interested in switching to natural gas should call Unitil today at 1-888-4-UNITIL, or fill out an online form. For the latest information about the SURE project and construction schedules, please call Unitil at, 1-866-821-4386.
For an updated project map and general summary of the year-long work plan, please visit https://unitil.com/sure.
