Last week, we lost Howard Freeman to a valiant fight against cancer—a fight that spanned several years, with diagnosis, remission, recurrence, and an aggressive and courageous treatment regimen. You would never know because he didn’t dwell on it. He was that kind of person. Howard exhibited the same kind of quiet courage when he took over as Chairman of the Utility Commission, having only served as Commissioner for a short period of time. Not really knowing all of what would be required of him, Howard leaned into the Chairmanship anyway.
The latest proposal from Yankee Gas is to expand into New Canaan through Ponus Ridge and Jelliff Mill Road—the third plan that the utility has proposed—to serve New Canaan High School, South School and Saxe Middle School as well as the YMCA and an estimated additional 120 customers along the route who would also have access to the gas, town officials said Monday. Yankee Gas might also serve Waveny Care Center and the Mormon church on South Avenue, members of the Utilities Commission said at their regular monthly meeting, held at the New Canaan Nature Center. The proposal is far smaller than what had been proposed initially, and doesn’t include running the line into downtown New Canaan until potentially in a later phase—an expansion that New Canaan’s highest elected official has called an absolute requirement. Commissioner Scott LaShelle said at the meeting that in three years of discussion, Yankee Gas “has yet to show a cost proposal to the town.” “They say things like, ‘Natural gas can save you 50 percent compared to oil.’ They’ve never given an actual proposal to say ‘Your cost with oil is X, and if based on a contract with us, you can get gas for this.’ They can’t guarantee the commodity price of gas,” he said.
Saying Yankee Gas hasn’t played straight with New Canaan, town officials on Monday night opened the possibility of restarting its negotiations—possibly with a different utility—to get natural gas not just to large municipal or commercial buildings but also to residents who want it. It’s been nearly four months since Yankee Gas declared itself “fully committed” to bringing natural gas to New Canaan this fall, and nearly three months since local government and business leaders at a public forum urged the utility to get residents more specific numbers and a timetable for conversion. Yet no concrete plan is in sight. Now, the utility is proposing to town officials a project far smaller in scope that seemingly could leave out private homes, members of the New Canaan Utilities Commission said at their regular meeting Monday night. “I just think we need a plan that reflects a commitment by a company, an energy solution that gives the town the best long-term value,” Commissioner Dan Welch said at the meeting, held in the Brooks Room of the New Canaan Nature Center.
