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The Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-10-21, Page 66 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Natural gas public information session Meeting in Chesley October 15 Mary Golem Postmedia Staff The success of the South- ern Bruce County Natural Gas Project will depend on the communities who are involved. "Positive feedback from the communities and those willing to convert to natural gas" will determine the suc- cess of the estimated $100- $120 million project, Karim Kassam, vice-president of business development for EPCOR Utilities Inc. told about 120 people attending the first in a series of three open houses in Chesley Thursday evening. In mid-September, Edmonton -based EPCOR Utilities was chosen to bring natural gas service to con- sumers in the municipalities of Kincardine, Arran Elder- slie and Huron -Kinloss. The three municipalities make up the largest area in South- ern Ontario that does not have natural gas service. Having access to natural gas is considered an economic boost to the area and a way to save money for both large and small commercial and agricultural business, as well as residences. But for the initiative to be successful, homeowners, businesses, farmers and large commercial enter- prises must be willing to convert to natural gas, Kas- sam said, adding typical conversion costs range from $1,000 to $5,000 but "by doing so, anticipated annual savings range from $1,500 to $2,800 with an estimated payback period of one to three years." He admitted while there may be some places "where it will not be economically feasi- ble" to provide natural gas "all efforts will be made to con- nect as many as are inter- ested." Kassam said offices will be established in each of the three communities to help people better understand the project and what their poten- tial conversion costs might be. Kassam said it is "critical" the project has ten large commercial customers and up to 4,000 total connections - both residential and com- mercial - in the three municipalities. "To make the project work we need 65 per cent to ini- tially convert," he said, and eventually 85 per cent. 3,000 of the 4,000 total connection need to be serviced in the first three years, he said, adding company officials will be "knocking on doors" The project will be devel- oped in three phases, he said, with phase one - the approvals phase, including the first round of stakeholder and community input - now underway. Officials hope to get approval from the Ontario Energy Board next year in order to begin construction in Kincardine and Huron -Kin- loss in late 2016 or early 2017. Construction would follow in Arran-Elderslie after that. Kassam stressed that no taxpayer dollars will be spent on construction costs. Both he and Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie said efforts are being made to seek a total of $230 million in province - wide funding grants and loans the provincial govern- ment has announced to help with homeowner conversion costs from electricity, pro- pane or oil to natural gas. Kassam and lawyer Mark Rodger spent about an hour explaining in step-by-step detail how the project has developed to date, as well as how and why EPCOR Utili- ties Inc. was chosen for the project, which will result in a natural gas distribution net- work in the three municipal- ities, estimated to be 145 kil- ometres in length when complete. Similar open houses like the one held in Chesley are being held in Ripley on Fri- day and in Kincardine on Saturday. Future open houses will also be held early in the new year, Kassam said, to keep residents up-to-date on the project. In the meantime, those interested in more back- ground information and possible routes can check Mary Golem Postmedia Staff Karim Kassam, vice-president of business development for EPCOR, explained the $100 million project to those in attendance at the Chesley public meeting held on October 15, 2015. out a newly -created web- site www.epcorsouthern bruce.org. EPCOR answers questions at public information session in Ripley Valerie Gillies Lucknow Sentinel The second of three public information meetings was held in the Ripley -Huron Community Centre on Octo- ber 16, 2015 concerning bringing natural gas into the Townships of Huron -Kin- loss, Kincardine and Arran Elderslie. Huron -Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan stated, "This is really important and monumental to be here this evening. It took a cul- mination of five year's work to get here tonight. We are not quite there. There are still some hur- dles but this is another step to get natural gas to our communities." Members of Huron -Kin- loss Council, as well as representatives from EPCOR Utilities Inc. were E v a 4--a a a) O a on hand to answer ques- tions and listen to com- ments and concerns from the public both before and after a presentation. Mayor Twolan, the lawyer who is representing the municipalities and the Vice President of Develop- ment for EPCOR, Karim Kassam, updated every- one on the process that has been ongoing, where things are at present, as well as future steps to be taken. Andrew Laycock, Spe- cialist for Government Relations for EPCOR was kept busy explaining the new alternative route that is proposed for the main feeder pipeline to supply the area with natural gas. He explained that the ini- tial route that was pub- lished in newspaper ads and on the invitation fly- ers had to be submitted for print long before the public meeting to meet print deadlines. "In the month between submis- sion and tonight we have been continuing to do our homework." Laycock advised that the main rea- son for the change from two segments of pipeline to one continuous one is that there may not be enough pressure and pipe capacity to feed -1131114L-w-- Valerie Gillies Lucknow Sentinel Many residents, business owners and farmers took advantage of the public information session held at the Ripley -Huron Community Centre on October 16, 2015 to study information boards and maps and ask questions of the representatives from the Township of Huron -Kinloss and EPCOR Utilities Inc concerning bringing natural gas to the area. Kincardine and Bruce Power from the Wingham meter station. This caused the switch to planning to feed only from Dornoch to the entire system. CONTINUED > PAGE 7 One of the most crowded displays at the natural gas public information session in Ripley on October 16, 2015 was the map showing the proposed route for the main pipeline to supply Huron -Kinloss. The route is still being researched and is subject to change, having changed even since the original invitation and advertising went to print. The Lucknow Sentinel Birthday Club Sam Kerr October 21, 2005 10 years old Emily Guichelaar October 22, 2005 10 years old SClaire Howard October 27, 2004 11 years old Your child can be a member S of the Sentinel's birthday club call 519-528-2822 to register i--' ce Lflckonwntkiei 619 Campbell Street 519-528-2822 E v a 4--a a a) O a on hand to answer ques- tions and listen to com- ments and concerns from the public both before and after a presentation. Mayor Twolan, the lawyer who is representing the municipalities and the Vice President of Develop- ment for EPCOR, Karim Kassam, updated every- one on the process that has been ongoing, where things are at present, as well as future steps to be taken. Andrew Laycock, Spe- cialist for Government Relations for EPCOR was kept busy explaining the new alternative route that is proposed for the main feeder pipeline to supply the area with natural gas. He explained that the ini- tial route that was pub- lished in newspaper ads and on the invitation fly- ers had to be submitted for print long before the public meeting to meet print deadlines. "In the month between submis- sion and tonight we have been continuing to do our homework." Laycock advised that the main rea- son for the change from two segments of pipeline to one continuous one is that there may not be enough pressure and pipe capacity to feed -1131114L-w-- Valerie Gillies Lucknow Sentinel Many residents, business owners and farmers took advantage of the public information session held at the Ripley -Huron Community Centre on October 16, 2015 to study information boards and maps and ask questions of the representatives from the Township of Huron -Kinloss and EPCOR Utilities Inc concerning bringing natural gas to the area. Kincardine and Bruce Power from the Wingham meter station. This caused the switch to planning to feed only from Dornoch to the entire system. CONTINUED > PAGE 7 One of the most crowded displays at the natural gas public information session in Ripley on October 16, 2015 was the map showing the proposed route for the main pipeline to supply Huron -Kinloss. The route is still being researched and is subject to change, having changed even since the original invitation and advertising went to print.