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THE COUNTY’S INFRASTRUCTURE BACKBONE
PLANNING ISSUE
As conventional energy costs
rise, conservation efforts and
more affordable and
renewable alternatives are
sought. The development of
natural gas fields in upstate
Pennsylvania may significantly
change the energy picture in
the county.
What’s New
•
Natural gas found in the Marcellus Shale deposits is
being extracted, and this impacts Montgomery County
in a variety of ways. Natural gas lines run through the
county, natural gas products are shipped throughout the
county, residents and businesses in the county are
consumers of natural gas, and a portion of the county’s
drinking water comes from the Marcellus Shale region.
•
A natural gas deposit, the South Newark Basin, lies
beneath a portion of the county. While the South
Newark deposit may be large, there appears to be no
imminent pressure to begin extracting the gas due to a
drill moratorium until 2018 and the lack of economic
incentives to drill at this time.
•
Montgomery County has seen many renewable energy
projects completed over the last decade. These projects
include a large number of geothermal systems at
schools and other institutions, and solar facilities on
residences, businesses and institutions. Some examples
include solar installations at the Morris Arboretum and
on Colonial School District property. Many of these
projects were aided financially though state and federal
incentive programs, especially solar projects. As these
sources of funding have dwindled, it has become more
difficult to fund solar projects. New legislation and
creative financial ideas may spur renewable energy
projects in the future.
•
Electric and natural gas vehicles are becoming more
available and are being supported by state incentives.
Natural gas fueling stations are have been located in
King of Prussia and are planned for PA Turnpike rest
stops throughout the state. Electric vehicle charging
stations have been installed at the King of Prussia Mall,
Blue Bell campus of Montgomery County Community
College, and at the Upper Merion Township Building
among other private locations.
Sewage Facilities
Water Facilities
Solid Waste
Stormwater Management
Energy
Communications
Schools
Child Day Care
Emergency Services
Other Governmental Facilities
Energy
Energy has become a crucial issue not just for the nation as
a whole, but also for Montgomery County, where energy
consumption has increased over the past five years by
4.23 %. How the energy that drives our society is created,
transmitted, and used is constantly changing.
Electricity
The electric distribution system in the county is owned by
PECO, PPL, Metropolitan Edison and two municipalities-
the boroughs of Lansdale and Hatfield which each own
electric distribution systems. Both boroughs purchase bulk
amounts of electricity in order to service their residents and
businesses. In addition to those who distribute electricity,
other companies sell electricity to customers within the
county under Pennsylvania’s utility deregulation program.
The primary source of public electricity in Montgomery
County is the 2,284-megawatt Limerick Nuclear Power
Station, the second largest power plant in Pennsylvania.
Other public electric power plants operating in Montgomery
County include the Covanta Plymouth Waste to Energy
Plant and the Cromby Generating Station until it was retired
in 2011. Many large private facilities generate their own
power, such as Merck West Point Power Plant and the
cogeneration facility at Einstein Medical Center
Montgomery. Other Montgomery County residential and
business electric power needs are met through electricity
transmitted into the county from other facilities owned by
PECO, Metropolitan Edison, PPL or other electric
generators participating in the Pennsylvania Jersey
Maryland (PJM) Interconnection. The PJM Interconnection
L.L.C., which is based in Montgomery County, provides
electrical transmission service and generation marketing to
nearly 150 electric generating companies in the mid-Atlantic
region and includes 540 generating units with 62,567
megawatts of generating capacity.
Gas Service
PECO provides gas service in most areas throughout the
eastern and central portions of the county, while gas in
developed portions of western Montgomery County is
