SEAL BEACH, Calif., Mar 25, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Clean Energy Fuels Corp. /quotes/comstock/15*!clne/quotes/nls/clne (CLNE 21.20, -0.35, -1.62%) has contracted with National Grid /quotes/comstock/13*!ngg/quotes/nls/ngg (NGG 47.75, +0.47, +0.99%) /quotes/comstock/23s!e:ng. (UK:NG. 643.00, +11.50, +1.82%) , an international energy delivery company, to assume the management of 13 existing National-Grid owned compressed natural gas (CNG) retail vehicle fueling stations in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Under the terms of the management agreement, Clean Energy will operate and maintain the National Grid stations, sell CNG to third parties, upgrade the onsite equipment to increase vehicle fueling capacity for the growth of the National Grid CNG truck fleet, and work together with National Grid to continue the growth of the CNG vehicle market.
Four of the stations are located in New York City and four are located on Long Island; three are in Massachusetts; and two are in Rhode Island. The agreement provides the ability to maintain or improve the high levels of service to third party vehicle fleets and provides National Grid with a consistent approach to station maintenance and operations throughout the National Grid territory.
"These facilities are important strategic fueling locations for CNG vehicles that are being deployed in large numbers by area refuse operators, local trucking firms, and New York taxi, black car and shuttle customers," said James Harger, Chief Marketing Officer, Clean Energy.
The retail CNG stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island -- located in the greater Boston, Cape Cod, and Providence areas -- represent Clean Energy's entry into the retail CNG market in these states. National Grid supplies the natural gas used to produce CNG onsite at the stations. Fuel requirements exceed the equivalent of 750,000 gallons of gasoline a year.
"CNG is a cleaner, greener option for customers to fuel their vehicles. Operating a fleet of CNG vehicles provides economic benefits for a fleets' bottom line, while improving our country's energy security," said National Grid's Executive Vice President for US Gas Distribution, Nickolas Stavropoulos. "We agreed to contract with Clean Energy after an extensive process of review and analysis, and took into account their qualifications, experience and resources in this field. We look forward to working with them to help our existing customers increase their cleaner transport options, as well as potential new customers who want to reduce their carbon footprint."
"The formation and continued development of this CNG station network is a direct response to the growing demand for clean, green natural gas fuel that we have observed in the Northeast region, as fleet operators deploy increasing numbers of CNG vehicles," noted Harger.
"We expect to officially take over station management responsibilities from National Grid in the early spring this year with the implementation of a thorough transition plan for the customers," he added.
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