BUCKSPORT — Bangor Gas is considering an expansion into the town of Bucksport to provide natural gas to residences and schools here next year and, in a later phase, to the Buckstown Heritage Industrial Park.
“It’s still in the planning stages,” said John Kunz, marketing and sales director for Bangor Gas.
Bangor Gas envisions two phases for Bucksport. The first phase would be getting the schools hooked up, followed by surrounding neighborhoods.
“We would go from Route 15 along Franklin Street to Central Street then we’d go Central Street from Main Street to Broadway and then on Broadway up to the schools,” Kunz said.
Phase two would entail hooking up the industrial park.
The town could see significant fuel savings at the schools if the project goes through.
“It’s going to cut our heating costs significantly,” said Regional School Unit 25 Superintendent Jim Boothby at a recent School Committee meeting.
Boothby told the RSU board that in 1.4 years the school district would recover costs associated from switching from oil to natural gas.
“We’re burning in excess of 65,000 gallons of oil per year,” Boothby said. “That’s down significantly from where were three years ago.” That’s when the schools had an energy audit and made changes to reduce consumption.
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Jennifer Osborn
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