NARUC task force releases report on state natural gas expansion efforts

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Task Force on Natural Gas Access and Expansion recently released a report on state efforts to promote and support natural gas expansion.

The report provides guidance to regulators on policies, mechanisms, and best practices to help extend natural gas service to unserved and underserved areas.

“It is critically important that regulators be educated about the creative ways utilities are expanding service and delivering the benefits of natural gas to more consumers in underserved and unserved areas,” American Gas Association (AGA) Vice President Government Relations Kyle Rogers said. “This expansion drives economic development and gives consumers more energy choices.

The task force report assesses current access, expansion and service extension policies for underserved and unserved areas. It also evaluates the need for access and expansion and barriers and obstacles to such access.

It also recommends potential mechanisms to address the benefits and opportunities for access and expansion and identifies alternative approaches to reaching unserved and underserved areas. It includes a collection of national best practices related to natural gas access and expansion to underserved and unserved areas.