“This is not an opportunity we should let pass by,” says Churchville Mayor Nancy Steedman, regarding an effort that will see a number of village residents receive natural gas lines installed at their homes this year at no cost to them.
Steedman says she has been working with Al Dauphinais of RG&E since last fall to assist residents in the Taylor Farms and Blackwatch Hill developments who currently depend completely on electric for heating and powering their appliances and would like to make the switch to more affordable natural gas.
“This is a great opportunity for residents to at least have a choice between electric and natural gas,” Mayor Steedman says.
She explains that many homes in the Taylor Farms development were constructed with only electric, as natural gas prices were high when the homes were built and the village has its own municipal electric department.
Village residents normally enjoy lower electric rates, Steedman says, but after a winter like this past one, high demand for electricity meant the village had to purchase additional power and costs jumped.
The village and interested residents have been working through the process of filling out paperwork and gathering information over the past several months and by the end of 2014 – in time for the winter heating season – roughly one dozen households in the Taylor Farms development will have the gas lines installed for free, Mayor Steedman says.
“I’m excited to hear that Taylor Farms is moving ahead,” Steedman says. She notes the change will “make their homes more sellable and reduce the amount of power used – everybody benefits.”
The village says approximately 50 residences in Blackwatch Hill do not have a natural gas line available and Steedman says work is underway with RG&E to have free gas lines installed on Chiswick Drive and Alicia Circle. The mayor says at this point, it appears about seven households in Blackwatch are interested and would receive free gas lines.
To avoid a surcharge to install the lines, Steedman says it’s important to have several homeowners in a row along a street make the commitment to switch to at least one natural gas powered device. She says “neighbor to neighbor interaction” has helped to boost the project.
The village held informational meetings for residents earlier this year, conducted by Mayor Steedman and Al Dauphinais of RG&E. Those presentations covered a number of topics including gas main extension surcharge rules, the proposed project, how to get service, conversion considerations, completing the commitment letter, and savings for Churchville residents. Residents were given time to ask questions following the presentations.
In a letter to residents dated March 17, 2014, Steedman explained:
“In an ideal situation, if all homes in the village were heated by natural gas, we would see a significant reduction in PPAC (Purchased Power Adjustment) charges on our monthly electric bills village-wide. Even though the cost of our village electric is lower than those outside of the village, in most cases it is less expensive to heat and operate a home with natural gas. Also, if a homeowner is considering an emergency stand-by generator, natural gas is an ideal and safe alternative to gasoline powered generators without the need to re-fuel large propane tanks.
“RG&E needs enough residents to consider hooking up a hot water heater, gas fireplace or other device interest to merit installation of a line on your street. If everyone is interested in considering converting one appliance, it could eliminate the RG&E surcharge for installation and make natural gas available to these households in the future,” the letter said.
There is still time for residents of both Taylor Farms and Blackwatch Hill to take part in the gas line project, Steedman adds. The village can assist residents with forms which must be completed for RG&E.
Residents can call the village office at 293-3720 for information or to express interest in taking part in the project.
