August 19, 2011

By Joy Hampton
The Norman Transcript The Norman Transcript Fri Aug 19, 2011, 01:54 AM CDT

NORMAN — Construction began earlier in the week on Norman’s first compressed natural gas fueling facility, a $1.65 million project.

In addition to serving the city’s fleet of vehicles, the fueling station at 2351 Goddard Ave. will be open to the public. The location is adjacent to the city’s North Base facility.

“We’re definitely excited about having a CNG station so we can use fuel that’s right underneath us,” Public Works Fleet Superintendent Mike White said. “We have 120 to 150 years of supply of natural gas right now in the United States.”

White said the move toward CNG promotes jobs within Oklahoma and the nation and reduces the reliance on foreign oil.

“It’s a cleaner fuel,” White said. “It’s a lot better for the environment.”

Norman’s share of the project cost is estimated to be 32 percent, or $530,583, of the total cost, but that will come back to the city in fuel savings.

The annual savings to the city in reduced fueling expenses is estimated to be $52,000, in the first year. Five year projections show a fuel savings of $850,000 to $1,285,000, depending on the volatility of the fuel market.

Completion of the facility is expected around Oct.1.

Primary contractor, Nationwide Construction Group of Chesterfield, Mich., will do the site work at a cost of $412,850. Nationwide has a bonding capacity of $50 million and is pre-qualified in 38 states to meet contractor requirements for government projects.

“We did a competitive bid and Nationwide was the lowest, most suitable bidder on the project,” White said.

Tulsa Gas Technology will supply fuel dispensers and communication software.

“We went out to bid twice,” White said. “We went out for an equipment package, and then we went out for a construction package.”

A lot of the equipment will come from within the state.

“The majority of the equipment is coming from Oklahoma-based companies,” White said.

In addition to serving the city’s fleet, the public will be able to buy CNG at the new station.

“There will be access off of Highway 77 and Goddard,” White said. “People will be able to use their debit card or credit card to access fuel just like a regular fueling station.”

Funding for the station will come from a federal stimulus money, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant of $945,000, and from a Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality grant of $200,000 in federal funds administered by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments.

The City of Norman Alternative Fuel Program was adopted by city council in February 2009, becoming the first municipal policy of its kind in Oklahoma.

Norman owns and operates a fleet of 867 vehicles and equipment. Of those, 475 are alternative fuel vehicles, including 29 CNG vehicles and 70 flex fuel vehicles.

Currently, the city’s CNG vehicles fuel up at the University of Oklahoma facility or the Oklahoma Natural Gas facility on Berry Road. Those two facilities will continue as backup locations.

The city expects to increase the number of CNG vehicles in its fleet, which will increase long-term savings.

Norman’s CNG fueling station will include 12 dual-post, slow-fill dispensers allowing up to 24 city vehicles to slowly fill overnight, a “fast-fill” element, and a fueling station for the general public with four dual-hose, fast-fill dispensers.



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