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Post by danshirley on Feb 11, 2011 2:40:21 GMT -5
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Bluerobin
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:24:30 GMT -5
Posts: 17,345 
Location: NEPA
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Post by Bluerobin on Feb 11, 2011 8:12:45 GMT -5
Gas lines are replaced a few feet at a time, as the blow up, as they did in Allentown yesterday. Sooner or later, the utility will get to them all.
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Post by danshirley on Feb 11, 2011 9:42:55 GMT -5
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Bluerobin
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:24:30 GMT -5
Posts: 17,345
Location: NEPA
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Post by Bluerobin on Feb 11, 2011 18:00:53 GMT -5
Dan, I have held UGI since the late 1970's. Sometimes I hold more and sometimes less, but have consistently owned it. They recently (within the last 5 years) took over a bunch of gas lines, including those in Allentown. Believe it or not, they are also my electric company and hold a large interest in APU.
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Post by danshirley on Feb 13, 2011 13:27:36 GMT -5
"No Quick Fix for aging gas lines": www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-allentown-ugi-gasmains-20110212,0,7889679.story $13 billion...46,318 miles of pipeline If we ever wonder the dollar value of human life.... 6 lives lost apparently don't dent $13 billion. I've started trimming out my utility holdings to eliminate those with gas distribution pipelines. |
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Post by soycapital on Feb 13, 2011 18:25:27 GMT -5
Interesting article Dan, I've also reduced pipeline companies like KMP and EPD a few weeks ago mostly because they have had such a huge run. The yields are good and I miss those but it seems that most good quality MLP energy companies have run way up. I'd like to pick some more up as they come down. I would expect it is pretty difficult to know how much of their system is outdated until something blows up. Do you invest in MLP's?
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Post by yclept on Feb 14, 2011 3:14:49 GMT -5
For main distribution size pipe, it's not normally necessary to dig up the old and replace it. Anything about 6" dia or larger can be slip lined which is substantially cheaper than replacing. Of course, it still costs money, but most Public Utility Commissions will allow those types of costs to be passed on to rate payers. Natural gas is still much cheaper than electricity for heating structures, so even if the rates go up it will still be one of the most cost-effective way to heat ones house. Then too, on the West Coast a lot of the peak demand electricity is generated by burning gas, so when gas rates rise, electric rates will echo. www.pipelineandgasjournal.com/large-diameter-plastic-pipe-mains-are-helping-gas-distribution?page=showOn a different infrastructure issue, here in California most of the freeway bridges have finished being upgraded structurally subsequent to lessons learned from the Northridge and Loma Prieta quakes. The highway surfaces suck, but the actual structures shouldn't need more repair for quite awhile. The eastern span of the Bay Bridge is finally beginning to look like it'll get finished in our lifetimes! In the past few years, I've traveled many main freeways in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado -- they're all in good shape. |
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Post by danshirley on Feb 14, 2011 3:34:25 GMT -5
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ModE98
Administrator
Start Investing admin
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 16:11:39 GMT -5
Posts: 4,441
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Post by ModE98 on Mar 12, 2011 13:41:01 GMT -5
There's nary a doubt about it. We are eroding into a Banana Republic status. No money left to do much about it. SAD.
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