| (Philadelphia,
PA – December 1, 2005) – The Philadelphia Gas
Works (PGW) is marking more than 36 years as a leader in
the safe and reliable production, storage, and regasification
of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
It was on the night of November 17, 1969, when PGW began
producing LNG at its new LNG facility at the Richmond Plant
for shipment by truck to the Lowell Gas Co., in Lowell,
Massachusetts, a Middlesex County city just south of the
New Hampshire state line. This was the first shipment on
a contract with the Lowell to produce 4.2 million gallons
of LNG.
PGW's General Manager Charles G. Simpson at the time noted
that the shipment was "the nation's first major road
transport of LNG."
PGW initially submitted a proposal for an LNG facility
in April 1964. Although gas supplies were abundant at the
time, Simpson believed that PGW needed the facilities to
deal with potential energy shortages in the future. Philadelphia
voters approved a bond issue to construct the LNG facilities
at its Richmond Plant on May 17, 1966. The new, ultra-modern
LNG facility, was completed and ready to begin operating
by the winter of 1969.
A few years later, PGW expanded the plant with the construction
of two massive LNG storage tanks completed in 1974. They
soon proved their value and Simpson's foresight during the
infamous bitter cold winter of 1977. Over the years, the
LNG facility, which is the largest of its kind in the nation,
has saved PGW customers approximately $2 billion.
PGW currently is considering a proposal with a potential
developer to modify its plant along the Delaware River into
an international LNG import shipping terminal. Although
PGW has been able to cool pipeline gas to a super-chilled
liquid state for more efficient storage, the new shipping
terminal would allow PGW to import gas already liquefied
from energy producing countries across the globe.
PGW believes the Richmond Plant’s new Freedom Energy
Center LNG terminal, would serve to help stabilize local
natural gas prices and could provide $25 million a year
in new revenues that could be used to offset upward swings
in customer gas prices as well as providing additional funds
to help expand programs to assist low-income and senior
citizen customers. Also, by importing LNG, PGW could help
ensure uninterrupted flow of natural gas for both Philadelphia
and the surrounding region.
PGW, which was founded in 1836, serves more than 500,000
Philadelphia residential, commercial and industrial customers.
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