Central Missouri Residents Will Soon Have Energy Options

Central Missouri Residents Will Soon Have Energy Options

New 49 mile natural gas extension project will allow thousands around the Lake of Ozarks to have natural gas as a utility option.



LAKE OZARK, MO- In June of 2009 Missouri Gas Utility (MGU) a subsidiary of Summit Utilities of Littleton, Colorado, retained Schultz and Summers Engineering to submit a bid to provide easement acquisition services on a new 49 mile natural gas transmission line through Benton, Morgan and Camden Counties in Missouri. Leif Lindahl the Project manager for Summit Utilities said, “SSE's experience in utility-related work and their understanding of Missouri right-of-way acquisition set them apart for this project. A project of this scope will have numerous challenges and will require extensive right-of-way. But MGU is thrilled to expand to this area and to be working with professionals like Mr. Jim Burtin who know the Lake area."

The contract to provide easement acquisition for MGU was awarded to SSE in the spring of 2010. It is a very aggressive project that is scheduled to have the transmission line in service by January 2012. Easement acquisition should be completed by the spring of 2011 and construction of the line will then begin. SSE owner Stan Schultz added, “These are the type of projects we love doing. With higher electric costs we are excited about giving folks along this 49 mile corridor the chance to use natural gas to heat their homes and businesses.”

In order to finish this project on time a working team was formed with MGU, SSE and the third partner in the project, CJW Transportation Consultants of Springfield who is doing the survey work for MGU in Benton and Morgan Counties. New technologies will allow for immediate and complete electronic sharing of information which will speed up construction. “Forging the right kind of project environment has been easy for the SSE staff involved,” says Jim Burtin P. E., Team Leader for SSE. “There is a mutual respect from all three companies involved.”

Additional members of the of the SSE team located in the Lake office are Lance Cravens, Amy Grant and Robyn Cionko. The surveying portion is headed up by Brian Meyers with extensive support from both the Poplar Bluff and the Branson offices. Owner Bob Summers stated, “Planning and building electric and gas lines is something our company is designed to do. We were very excited to be chosen for this 49 mile transmission line and all our employees will use their experience to keep this project ahead of schedule.

When completed, this project will make natural gas available to thousands of residents in the Lake of Ozarks region.