NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
15% SAVED ON NATURAL GAS SUPPLY THROUGH CITY PROGRAMMayor Stephen R. Reed today reported that the city’s natural gas bulk supply purchasing program saved the city and other program participants 15% or $532,000 in 2004, an increase over the year 2003 when 11% were realized. In the five years since the energy purchase program was established by the Mayor’s Office, a total of $2,390,153 has been saved. Customers who have signed on to the city’s bulk buying program include the County of Dauphin, the Harrisburg School District, Harrisburg Housing Authority, The National Civil War Museum, Community Life Team, Inc., the PA National Fire Museum and the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. In addition, scrutiny of customer billings during 2004 identified over $150,000 in refunds of sales taxes and rebates due to meter reading errors. The number of participants is increasing this year, with three businesses and the City of York having enrolled. The program is open to medium and large-sized natural gas users. Reed said natural gas prices, in terms of real dollars, are at an all time high since December, in large part because China, despite that country’s economic slow down, has signed several oil and natural gas supply treaties which are decreasing available energy supplies to the U.S. consumer. Most of the natural gas supply to the Harrisburg region comes from eastern Louisiana and sent to the area by inter-state pipelines. The city administers the program and utilizes the services of Benchmark, Inc. of Pittsburgh to operate it. Reed said the savings are achieved through negotiation for bulk supply purchases conducted during the time of year when supply prices are normally the lowest. |
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