County Tables Extension Of Century Gas Franchise For Walnut Hill, McDavid, Bratt

February 6, 2014

Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission tabled a public hearing and action on a  new natural gas franchise ordinance for the Town of Century. The request will be considered at a later meeting.

Pensacola Energy Director Don Suarez appeared at the commission’s Agenda Review meeting Thursday morning requesting the action be tabled because he was unaware the issue was up for a vote until a phone call Wednesday afternoon.

Century currently holds franchise rights from the county to provide natural gas service from the Escambia River westward to almost the Perdido River and from the Alabama state line southward to near Bogia. The franchise area includes Century, Byrneville, Bratt, Oak Grove, Walnut Hill and McDavid.

The franchise was granted by the county in 1968 to the Town of Century (then known as the Town of South Flomaton)  to provide natural gas services to the northernmost part of the county.

Century is now considering significantly upgrading its capacity for servicing residents and businesses located in this franchise area, but the present franchise expires in five years.  Rather than extending the current franchise agreement, the town is requesting that the BOCC adopt a new franchise ordinance that provides it with the same rights and responsibilities, including payment of franchise fees, as those franchises that the commission recently approved with  Gulf Breeze and Pensacola.

This new franchise will expire in 2045 would not extend beyond the  geographical franchise area previously designated in 1968. Century currently provides gas service only in a portion of their franchise area — near the town limits, south along Highway 29 to and including a portion of Highway 164, and west into Byrneville.

Century Mayor Freddie McCall said the town is first looking to expand natural gas service to an area of the Gandyville community near State Line Road.

“We just wanted this new franchise agreement in place before we starting investing in expansions and then the county take it away from us when the franchise agreement now expires in five years,” he said.

Pensacola  Energy, formerly known as Energy Services of Pensacola, currently provides natural gas service to commercial customers in Bratt and Walnut Hill — within the Town of Century’s gas franchise area. Pensacola Energy provides natural gas to Ernest Ward Middle School and at least one more large commercial customer in Walnut Hill, and Bratt Elementary and Northview High School in Bratt.  They also provide natural gas service to an unknown number of residential customers near Kansas Road, Green Village Road and North Highway 99 in Bratt.

McCall said he did not know what effect, if any, an extension of the town’s gas franchise agreement would have on Pensacola Energy’s service in the area.

Don Suarez, Pensacola Energy director, referred our questions Wednesday to Tamara Fountain, communications administrator for the City of Pensacola. Fountain requested our questions be presented in an email. Our email to Fountain had not been answered or acknowledged by Thursday evening.

In the afternoon email to Fountain, NorthEscambia.com asked if an extension of Century’s gas franchise might “impact Pensacola Energy’s service that is currently provided within the Town of Century’s franchise area?”. We also requested information about commercial customers within the area and the number of residential customers served by Pensacola Energy within Century’s franchise area.

Pictured top: A Pensacola Energy meter in front of Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill, inside the Town of Century gas franchise area. Pictured below: The Town of Century’s gas franchise map (click to enlarge). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

9 Responses to “County Tables Extension Of Century Gas Franchise For Walnut Hill, McDavid, Bratt”

  1. bigjohn on February 9th, 2014 5:12 pm

    YES THERE WAS, AND IT IS STILL THERE., A GAS LINE IT AT MISS SINGETON OLD HOUSE USED TO BE, IF YOU LOOK IN THE FIELD WEST OF THE OLD HOUSE PLACE WAS, AND WEAR MR JB CARAWY LIVE. YOU CAN STILL SEE IT. AS MISS SINGETON HAD A METER ONIT, !!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Jane on February 7th, 2014 3:15 am

    Did you really think the Escambia County Commissioners would vote for anything in the north end of the county? So far they have not researched things or made any effort to do anything that might actually be a benefit to Escambia County…only to Pensacola, and only tourism.

  3. ed on February 6th, 2014 11:05 pm

    ECUA sold the gas franchise to the city of Pensacola. It was part of timberline that was taken over by ECUA

  4. Ben Thar on February 6th, 2014 9:00 pm

    Yes, but will Century let you have natural gas service if you have a barnyard animal?

  5. Just Listening on February 6th, 2014 9:30 am

    Century should – as soon as possible extend their lines to Northview School and make a connection there. And since Energy Services of Pensacola has already infringed on Century’s area of Franchise, taken over or make a good faith purchase (If their equipment if up to standards) of ESP’s lines and begin taking these monies into Century’s accounts. Then get busy extending lines all over the franchise area. Since Natural Gas is the upcoming energy of the future as being more affordable (Even the Electric supply folk are turning to Natural Gas) it must be true. Century could even get the meter to supply Gulf Power at their new plant. Think beyond the City Limits Sign. BOCC has no reason to not give Century a Life time or at least a 100 year franchise as long as the quality of service continues. I don’t know why you have to renew a Franchise. Does the electric companies have to renew. Just saying.- Just asking.

  6. jeeperman on February 6th, 2014 9:08 am

    Mean while thousands if not millions of cubic feet of natural gas is escaping from broken gas main under Hwy 29 in Century.
    Year after year after year.
    That escaping gas is not free.
    Good thing the price of NG is going down.

  7. EYES IN THE BUSHES on February 6th, 2014 7:48 am

    Is there a gas line on Hall rd, i have heard there was one on part of Hall rd in Batt ???

  8. Sam on February 6th, 2014 6:56 am

    Why have we not tapped into this potential revenue before now? For a small community with few income sources, this looks like a no brainer.

  9. sharon on February 6th, 2014 5:34 am

    please bring gas line through my area i sure welcome it. please please !!!!!!!!!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News