HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-06-007 - Gas Infrastructure
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KITCHENER
Financial Services
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Report To:
Date of Meeting:
Submitted By:
Prepared By:
Ward(s) Involved:
Date of Report:
Report No.:
Subject:
Finance & Corporate Services Committee
March 6, 2006
Pauline Houston
Dwayne Quinn
All
February 22, 2006
FIN-06-007
GAS INFRASTRUCTURE
RECOMMENDATION:
That a transfer of $1,000,000 from the Gas Capital Investment Fund to Gasworks Capital
budgets to support gas infrastructure programs that will be initiated in 2006 be approved, as
follows:
Statutory Meter Changes $300,000
Meter Replacement $250,000
o Regulator Pit Remediation $200,000
Inside Regulators $ 150,000
Pipeline Integrity Management $100,000
REPORT:
As a natural gas utility, one of the primary responsibilities is to provide safe, continuous service
to its customers. There are regulatory agencies that ensure consistent reliable standards
across the natural gas industry to ensure the excellent record of the natural gas industry is
maintained in this regard. The Utilities Division must abide by these standards.
At this juncture in our history, there are a number of initiatives that are going to require capital
investment that are difficult to completely quantify and had not been quantified in time for the
2006 Capital budget Process. Briefly, these initiatives are:
· Because Staff's efforts have been concentrated on the high volume of new installations, it
has created a backlog of work:
Statutorv Meter Chanaes: Measurement Canada requires meters to be replaced on a specified
frequency. Due to resource constraints from additional water regulations and significant
additions of new customers, our larger meter set program requires some catch-up. This catch-
up will involve approximately 250 meter installations at an average cost of $2,500 spread over 2
years.
· Increased knowledge of the deterioration of some system components yields the following
projects:
Old Meters: Most meters in our system are renewed with only minor refurbishment at the end of
their statutory cycle. Over the next couple of years, large batches of a certain manufacture of
meters will be due for renewal. From our experience, these meters will not be refurbished but,
in fact, need to be replaced with new meters. Utilities currently has about 2,000 of these meters
at cost that ranges from about $120 to $200.
Reaulator Pits Remediation: Our regulator replacement program initiated in 2004 has
uncovered that some of more susceptible pieces of equipment are our regulators placed in
regulator pits in the sidewalks. On-going exposure to a harsh environment caused primarily by
salt has encouraged us to consider new design and products to replace these regulators. In the
interim, a survey of all pits including remediation of the most critical will occur in 2006. Costs for
this program has been estimated roughly as some remediation may be simple while some
include removal of the pit and relocation of the regulator requiring sidewalk restoration.
· As a result of new regulations:
Inside Reaulators: In November of 2005, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA),
the natural gas safety regulator in Ontario, issued a Director's Order to address the safety
concerns of inside regulators. While some interim steps will be taken in the next month, the
long term resolution of these installations will be addressed over the next couple of years.
Currently, we have 7 such installations. With evolving technology developed by an industry that
is grappling with this change, the estimated expenditure to bring these installations into
compliance is difficult to predict, however, an estimate has been provided.
Pioeline Intearitv Manaaement: The Canadian Standards Association, who publishes the
engineering and design standards for natural gas and oil pipelines in Canada, produced a
requirement for the establishment of a pipeline integrity management program. The TSSA is
holding a meeting March 6th to discuss adoption in Ontario. Our preview indicates that there will
be some upfront capital work and ongoing maintenance of the program in later years.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The estimate of the all of the projects together is $1.8 million. However, it will not be feasible to
complete all of the work in 2006. Some work will continue in 2007. In 2005, the capital invested
in the Gas Capital Investment Fund was approximately double the amount budgeted. It is
Staff's opinion that it is prudent to fund these programs from the additional funds generated in
2005 allowing capital to start in 2006. To allow more refinement of the estimates and update
Council on the programs, the additional funds required will be requested as part of the 2007
Capital Budget process. However, in Staff's opinion, it is important for Council to see the whole
picture at this time and not to approve the transfer in isolation.
COMMUNICATIONS: None
Dwayne Quinn, P.Eng., MBA
Director of Utilities
Pauline Houston, CA
General Manager of Financial Services
& City Treasurer