Natural Gas News – July 11, 2018
Firefighter Killed as Natural Gas Blast Rocks Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
CBS News reported: SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — An explosion rocked a Wisconsin community after a contractor struck a natural gas main in a downtown area filled with bars and other businesses, killing one firefighter and injuring several others, police officers and civilians, authorities said. First responders rushed to the scene of a reported gas leak, and an evacuation was already underway when the first blast happened Tuesday evening, said police Lt. Kevin Konopacki in Sun Prairie, a Madison, Wisconsin, suburb of about 30,000. He added that lives were likely saved by the evacuation, which was set in motion by people smelling the odor of natural gas. Firefighters were still battling flames more than three hours after the explosion. The powerful blast, at around 7:15 p.m., sent a plume of smoke and flames into the air. By morning, the fire was pretty much out, contained to one or two buildings, and it appeared everyone had been accounted for. A search of the area didn’t turn up any additional victims, officials said. For more on this story visit cbsnews.com or click https:// cbsn.ws/2NGHZ84
Construction on $1B Natural Gas Plant Likely Pushed Back
Michigan Radio reported: An official says construction on a nearly $1 billion natural gas power plant in southwestern Michigan probably has been pushed back to next year. Michael DuBois, vice president of project development for Buffalo Grove, Illinois-based Indeck Energy Services, told the South Bend Tribune that the company continues to work on financing for the plant in Niles. He says they’re “optimistic” about lining up investors. The newspaper reports initial plans to break ground in 2017 were earlier pushed back to this year. Niles City Administrator Ric Huff says he’s still expecting the plant will be built. The state issued an air permit for the proposed plant in 2017. The company has estimated the plant could create 21 permanent jobs and 500 to 600 temporary construction jobs. For more on this story visit michiganradio.org or click https://bit.ly/2zuwsFR
