Assembly Subcommittee on Energy

Transcription

1 Assembly Subcommittee on Energy Debra Gallo Director, Public Affairs Scott Leedom Manager, Public Affairs February 15, 2017

2 About Southwest Gas Southwest Gas serves nearly 2 million customers throughout Arizona, Nevada and California. Southwest Gas does not own or operate natural gas wells. Southwest Gas purchases natural gas supplies in the wholesale markets and transports those supplies through interstate pipelines for delivery to the Company s distribution systems.

3 Paiute Pipeline Company 895 miles of high pressure, steel transmission pipeline from Idaho- Nevada border to Lake Tahoe area Regulated by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

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5 Resource Optimization The direct use of natural gas at a home or business is a highly efficient form of energy usage. Direct use can also cut carbon emissions from electric generation nearly in half. Direct uses of natural gas in a home or business include: Stove/Oven Furnace Fireplace Grill Water Heater Generator The distribution of natural gas directly to the consumer means there is a minimal amount of energy loss

6 Resource Optimization

7 Natural Gas Vehicles Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Personal vehicles Fleets and light-duty vehicles Heavy duty trucking 164% increase in registered CNG vehicles from 2015 to 2016 in Clark County.

8 Nevada 2016 Highlights Natural Gas Vehicles RTC 33 New Buses 40 New Paratransit Republic Services 40 Refuse Trucks Upcoming Nevada 2017 projects RTC An additional 80 new CNG Paratransit vehicles will be added to their fleet Republic Services Currently under design to construct a CNG fueling station in Henderson. When station is 100% operational, it will serve 80 new CNG Refuse trucks.

9 Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Combined heat and power (CHP) systems, also known as cogeneration, generate electricity and useful thermal energy in a single, integrated system. Heat that is normally wasted in conventional power generation is recovered as useful energy. Recaptured heat can be repurposed to: Space heating, water heating, industrial steam loads, air conditioning, humidity control, refrigeration, boiler feedwater preheating, other thermal needs. CHP system at City Center in Las Vegas.

10 Combined Heat & Power (CHP) MGM Resort s: City Center An 8.2 megawatt CHP system uses Natural Gas to generate electricity through two twin turbines. Captured waste heat is used to warm domestic water for adjacent properties including: Monte Carlo New York New York T-Mobile Arena

11 Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) What is RNG? Methane released from decomposing carbon Organic waste food, crops, etc. Landfill waste garbage Wastewater treatment human waste, sewer Animal waste manure from cattle, pigs, other livestock Dairy farms are the best source of RNG Southwest Gas is looking to add Renewable Natural Gas to our supply portfolio with the possibility of offering customers RNG supply options.

12 Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Active RNG Pursuits City of Las Vegas Wastewater Treatment Plant This site has 12 anaerobic digesters which are used to create biogas. Currently in the process of initiating a study to evaluate the feasibility of taking biogas from this site. Clark County Sanitation District No anaerobic digesters onsite. No RNG produced through existing processes.

13 Economic Development Prior to 2015, natural gas line extension policies hindered Southwest Gas s ability to extend service to unserved or underserved areas in the state. These policies required an upfront investment from the community or a developer to cover the difference between the allowable utility investment and the total project costs. Senate Bill 151 from the 2015 session was introduced and subsequently approved by the legislature to address this issue.

14 Economic Development Senate Bill 151: Allows the PUCN to apply a balanced and equitable approach in the review and approval of projects. Provides the PUCN with the flexibility, discretion and authority to consider alternative cost sharing allocations based on the facts and circumstances surrounding the individual projects.

15 Economic Development Subsequent to the passage of SB 151, the PUCN initiated a rulemaking to develop the administrative process that a natural gas utility would use to file an application to expand natural gas infrastructure. The PUCN rulemaking concluded last spring and Southwest Gas is currently working with the City of Mesquite, the Spring Creek area in Elko County, and developers within the Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas to potentially extend gas service.

16 Questions?