Unitil Completes 14-Year ‘SURE’ Project to Modernize Maine Gas System

Portland, ME

Unitil is marking the completion of the System Upgrade for Reliable Energy (SURE) project, a major 14-year natural gas distribution system modernization effort in the Portland and Westbrook areas that has created a safer and more reliable system to meet the growing energy demands of southern Maine.

Work on the project, which began in 2011 upon approval from the Maine Public Utilities Commission, culminated with Thursday's removal of a final piece of aging cast iron pipe that was installed in 1927, bringing an end to one of Unitil's largest and most aggressive capital improvement initiatives.

"We are pleased to be celebrating this milestone as this critical modernization project will assure that customers in Portland and Westbrook have natural gas infrastructure to meet the future natural gas needs of the region," said Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O'Meara. "This has been a multi-year initiative that required the cooperation and understanding of many local businesses and residents as this crucial work was performed."

This underground utility project involved replacing as many as 126 miles of cast iron pipes - some of which were more than 100 years old - and unprotected steel pipes with state-of-the-art, high density plastic pipe along with additional distribution pipe upgrades. The improvements allow the system to operate more reliably and at a higher pressure, which will enhance performance.

The work also included vital upgrades to 8,862 service lines and 16,945 meters.

New England Utility Constructors (NEUCO), a regional company with a reputation for safety and excellence that provides underground utility construction services, served as the contractor for the entire 14-year project.

"Serving as the primary contractor on the SURE project for 14 years has been a point of pride for our entire NEUCO team," said NEUCO Vice President of Operations Craig Campbell. "Providing communities with a reliable, safe source of energy is at the heart of what we do. I am incredibly proud of our team's dedication to this project, working with determination often through adverse conditions and never compromising on safety and quality."

The completion of this project brings many benefits, one of the most significant being a reduction in the number of leaks, which is a substantial safety improvement, along with a corresponding decrease in methane emissions. Additionally, the system now boasts increased control points, improved regulator stations, and overall provides a more reliable gas supply and better gas quality for Unitil customers.

With gas pipes buried several feet underground, the project required significant excavation work around Portland and Westbrook, but Unitil and NEUCO worked to minimize the disruptions to local businesses, homeowners, and the general public as the new lines were installed.

Support and coordination with municipal officials was critical to ensuring that this project was completed as safely and efficiently as possible within the 14-year planned time frame, which remained on schedule as the team managed challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This was a monumental task that involved hundreds of people, including senior management, engineers, office staff, union crew members, and third-party contractors. The team that executed this project should be immensely proud of their efforts," O'Meara said.

Photo captions

1. Top: Joseph Renda, manager of Gas Distribution Operations at Unitil, holds up the final piece of cast iron pipe that was removed in Portland on Thursday as the SURE project was completed. The pipe was installed in 1927.
2. Cover Shot: Workers from NEUCO remove the last section of cast iron pipe in Portland on Thursday as the SURE project was completed. The pipe was installed in 1927.