LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today
announced it has successfully completed the company's first project
under its Compression Services Tariff: a state-of-the-art
compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station for the City of Monterey Park.
The public-access facility located at 751 S. Alhambra Ave. will
support the operation of the City's clean Spirit bus fleet and
other natural gas vehicles (NGVs). The facility is designed to meet
the needs of the Spirit bus operations as well passenger NGVs,
parking shuttles, taxis, fleet vehicles and other area CNG needs,
providing fuel to the public during the day when city vehicles are
not scheduled to be fueled.
"Natural gas vehicles can have an immediate and positive impact
on the issues of air quality and public health and SoCalGas is
delighted to celebrate Monterey
Park's fueling facility," said Rodger Schwecke, vice president of Customer
Solutions for SoCalGas. "As the first project completed under our
new Compression Services Tariff, this is an outstanding example of
public/private partnership that delivers business value to our
customers and provides affordable, reliable and clean
transportation fuel that can help clean our air and benefit our
environment."
"This project makes good business sense for the City of Monterey Park and we are delighted
with the outcome and with the service of SoCalGas. Our new facility
will help reduce our CNG fuel costs by about 50 percent, saving our
city money and conserving scarce resources," said Ron Bow, director of Public Works and assistant
City Manager of Monterey Park. "By
also helping cut smog-forming pollutants and reducing our carbon
footprint, this project is good for taxpayers, our neighbors and
our environment."
The facility adds another link to California's rapidly expanding natural gas
fueling infrastructure. With nearly 600 natural gas stations across
the state — more than one-quarter providing public access —
California boasts the largest
natural gas fueling network in the United
States.
Offering significant environmental, energy security, and
economic benefits, natural gas is one of the most affordable and
cleanest burning alternative fuels available today. In addition to
delivering cost savings, natural gas fueling produces lower
tailpipe emissions and greenhouse gases than diesel or gasoline and
has helped the transportation industry's effort to achieve state
and federal environmental goals and meet clean air regulations.
NGVs are some of the cleanest vehicles in commercial production
today, and produce only 5-10 percent of the emissions allowable
even by today's most stringent standards.
The Department of Energy's April
2015 alternative fuel price report shows the national
average price for natural gas was $2.09/gasoline-gallon-equivalent compared to
$3.06/gallon for diesel. The same
report notes natural gas prices have been consistently stable for a
long period of time, while gasoline and diesel prices have been
volatile.
The Monterey Park CNG station project was developed through
SoCalGas Compression Services Tariff and partially funded by grants
from the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air
Quality Management District.
Today's announcement supports SoCalGas' vision for being a
leader in providing clean energy solutions.
About SoCalGas
Southern California Gas Co. has been
delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers
for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas
distribution utility, providing service to 21.4 million consumers
connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500 communities.
The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000
square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. Southern
California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy
(NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in
San Diego.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150126/171209LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/socalgas-and-city-of-monterey-park-launch-new-compressed-natural-gas-fueling-station-300147863.html
SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.