Another Milestone Achieved for Nova Scotia's Gas Industry

Premier John Hamm and Energy Minister Cecil Clarke were on hand in Dartmouth today, Jan. 16, as Heritage Gas connected natural gas service to its first residential and commercial customers in Nova Scotia.

Natural gas is now flowing to residential customers in Crichton Park and commercial customers in the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth. In its first six years of development, Heritage Gas plans to make natural gas accessible to more than 20,000 homeowners and businesses in the province.

"It makes me proud as premier to bear witness to one of the most dynamic times in our province's history," said Premier Hamm. "Today we are celebrating more than just a terrific new energy option. We are celebrating our success as a province in making the right investments and putting our effort where it counts."

The Department of Energy has been working with Heritage Gas over the past 18 months to make regulatory changes to help with the business case for natural gas distribution in Nova Scotia. These changes allowed Nova Scotia customers to have access to natural gas.

"As Heritage Gas moves out into other communities included in its franchise area, Nova Scotians will have the opportunity to make natural gas their energy choice," said Mr. Clarke. "This is something that wasn't even considered a decade ago."

Heritage Gas is the first company to bring natural gas service to Nova Scotians. In the coming months, Heritage Gas will outline a conversion program that will make it even easier for homeowners and businesses to use natural gas. Heritage Gas is a consortium made up of three Canadian companies: SaskEnergy Inc., AltaGas Services Inc., and Nova Scotia-based Scotia Investments Limited.