Georgetown, Delaware — Chesapeake Utilities today announced the introduction of natural gas to Georgetown, Delaware. A ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this afternoon on the Owens Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College (Delaware Tech) celebrated the much anticipated arrival of natural gas in the Georgetown area. Delaware Tech is Chesapeake Utilities’ first customer in this town and the immediate surrounding area.
“We’re excited that we are able to bring clean-burning natural gas to Delaware Tech,” said Darrell K. Wilson, Director of Business Growth and Development for Chesapeake Utilities. “Members of the Georgetown community have been asking for natural gas for years and we are thrilled that Chesapeake is able to provide the energy they demand.”
Today’s ceremony featured comments by Mr. Wilson as well as Dr. Ileana Smith, vice president and campus director, Georgetown Town Manager Gene Dvornick, and Shane Breakie, Director of Natural Gas Energy Services for Chesapeake Utilities, prior to the ribbon-cutting.
“The campus has wanted access to natural gas for a long time,” added Dr. Smith. “We began preliminary discussions with Chesapeake several years ago and they were able to make it happen, with minimal disruption at the campus. Delaware Tech is pleased to have an additional form of energy available for campus operations. In these critical financial times when every dollar counts, having the option to utilize the most cost-effective method to heat the campus is essential.”
Bringing natural gas to the Owens Campus of Delaware Tech required Chesapeake Utilities to extend its system which previously ended at the southern end of Georgetown at Wood Branch Road.
The Jack F. Owens Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College, the southernmost campus of a statewide system, is located in Georgetown; the 147-acre site serves as Sussex County’s center for higher education. Delaware Tech is a fully-accredited, open admission institution that provides academic, technical, and corporate and community training opportunities to all state residents.
Natural gas is a highly reliable, domestic energy source serving over 56 million homes, businesses and industries in the United States. 97% of the gas used in our country is produced in North America (84% in the U.S. and 13% from Canada). Natural gas burns cleaner than any other petroleum-based combustion fuel. Utilizing natural gas results in substantially fewer greenhouse gas emissions than would be produced by burning fuel oil or coal. And, compared to the emissions produced during the generation of electricity, natural gas results in a lower overall carbon footprint.
Chesapeake Utilities’ natural gas distribution operations serve approximately 64,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Delaware, Maryland and Florida. The Delaware division serves southern New Castle County and is the only natural gas distribution system serving Delaware’s Kent and Sussex counties.
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK) is a diversified utility company engaged in natural gas distribution, transmission and marketing, propane distribution and wholesale marketing, advanced information services and other related businesses. Information about Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and the Chesapeake family of businesses is available at www.chpk.com.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: Shane Breakie, Director of Natural Gas Energy Services
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
350 S. Queen Street
Dover, DE 19904
302.734.6797 ext. 6017 – [email protected]
Media Contact: Sydney Davis, Communications Manager
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation
909 Silver Lake Blvd.
Dover, DE 19904
302.736.7828 – [email protected]