MERRILLVILLE, Ind.,
Sept. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a
unit of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), today announced it will withdraw
its pending rate case and pending settlement following the
Sept. 13 natural gas incident in the
Greater Lawrence area.
"Our team is fully committed to restoring the affected
communities, rebuilding peace of mind and reestablishing trust in
our company," said Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President
Steve Bryant. "This action is fully
necessary at a time when we must maintain our focus on supporting
our customers."
The case was originally filed in April
2018 with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities
(DPU).
As announced earlier this week, Columbia Gas will replace the
entire 48-mile cast iron and bare steel natural gas distribution
system serving 8,600 customers in the affected areas. A
comprehensive replacement plan is expected to be announced as early
as this week.
The system in the area will be replaced with new plastic lines
that feature modern safety features, including pressure regulation
and excess flow valves.
Columbia Gas is in the midst of a multiyear program to modernize
its gas distribution system and replace cast iron and bare steel
pipeline systems across the state. The commitment to accelerate
that work in the affected area, while larger in scale than a
typical modernization project, is necessary in light of recent
events. The company remains committed to the modernization of all
of its pipeline systems.
The Sept. 13 incident remains
under investigation by the National Transportation Safety
Board.
About Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
Columbia Gas of
Massachusetts delivers clean,
affordable and efficient natural gas to over 320,000 natural gas
customers in southeastern Massachusetts, the greater Springfield area and the Merrimack
Valley. Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, the company is the
largest gas-only provider in the state and is one of NiSource's
seven regulated utility companies. NiSource (NYSE:NI) is one of the
largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5
million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers
through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. More
information about Columbia Gas of Massachusetts is available at
www.ColumbiaGasMa.com
About NiSource
NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) is one of the
largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5
million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across
seven states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands.
Based in Merrillville, Indiana,
NiSource's approximately 8,000 employees are focused on safely
delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers and
communities we serve. NiSource has been designated a World's Most
Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute since 2012, is a member
of the Dow Jones Sustainability - North America Index and was named
by Forbes magazine as the top-rated utility among America's
Best Large Employers in 2017. Additional information about
NiSource, its investments in modern infrastructure and systems, its
commitments and its local brands can be found at www.nisource.com.
Follow us at www.facebook.com/nisource,
www.linkedin.com/company/nisource or www.twitter.com/nisourceinc.
NI-F
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities
laws. Investors and prospective investors should understand that
many factors govern whether any forward-looking statement contained
herein will be or can be realized. Any one of those factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those projected.
Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release
include statements and expectations regarding NiSource's or any of
its subsidiaries' business, performance, growth, commitments,
investment opportunities, and planned, identified, infrastructure
or utility investments. All forward-looking statements are based on
assumptions that management believes to be reasonable; however,
there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ
materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the projections, forecasts, estimates, plans,
expectations and strategy discussed in this press release include,
among other things, NiSource's debt obligations; any changes in
NiSource's credit rating; NiSource's ability to execute its growth
strategy; changes in general economic, capital and commodity market
conditions; pension funding obligations; economic regulation and
the impact of regulatory rate reviews; NiSource's ability to obtain
expected financial or regulatory outcomes; any damage to NiSource's
reputation; compliance with environmental laws and the costs of
associated liabilities; fluctuations in demand from residential and
commercial customers; economic conditions of certain industries;
the success of NIPSCO's electric generation strategy; the price of
energy commodities and related transportation costs or an inability
to obtain an adequate, reliable and cost-effective fuel supply to
meet customer demands; the reliability of customers and suppliers
to fulfill their payment and contractual obligations; potential
impairments of goodwill or definite-lived intangible assets;
changes in taxation and accounting principles; potential incidents
and other operating risks associated with our business; the impact
of an aging infrastructure; the impact of climate change; potential
cyber-attacks; construction risks and natural gas costs and supply
risks; extreme weather conditions; the attraction and retention of
a qualified work force; advances in technology; the ability of
NiSource's subsidiaries to generate cash; tax liabilities
associated with the separation of Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc.;
NiSource's ability to manage new initiatives and organizational
changes; the performance of third-party suppliers and service
providers; the availability of insurance to cover all significant
losses and other matters set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors"
section of NiSource's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2017 and in
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A credit
rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities, and
may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the
assigning rating organization. In addition, dividends are subject
to board approval. NiSource expressly disclaims any duty to update,
supplement or amend any of its forward-looking statements contained
in this press release, whether as a result of new information,
subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable
law.
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SOURCE Columbia Gas of Massachusetts