Proposals Submitted to PennDOT for CNG Fueling Station P3 Project
On January 4, 2016 the three shortlisted proposers competing to enter into a public-private partnership (a “P3”) with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (“PennDOT”) submitted their proposals. The award of the P3 contract, which calls for constructing 27 compressed natural gas (“CNG” fueling stations) along the Commonwealth’s public highways as well as making modifications to transit agencies’ vehicle maintenance and storage facilities, is expected to come sometime in February or March of 2016.
The goals and objectives of the Project include
- Providing cost-effective CNG fuel availability to enable transit fleets to switch from diesel and gasoline to CNG;
- Achieving operational cost savings for transit agencies;
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- Providing retail CNG fueling to the public (where feasible); and
- Establishing consistency between transit agencies for the deployment of CNG fueling infrastructure.
To accomplish those goals and objectives PennDOT is seeking a private partner that will make the necessary utility upgrades, compress gas and make it available for fueling for transit agencies and third parties, and operate and maintain fueling stations. The private entity will be compensated for its capital and operational costs but will be subject to PennDOT for liquidated damages in the event it fails to perform and will pay royalty payments to PennDOT based on third party sales of CNG.
As of October 2015, twenty three regional transit agencies opted into the CNG program and were divided into three tiers (Tier 1 includes five transportation agencies, Tier 2 includes seven transportation agencies, and Tier 3 includes eleven transportation agencies). CNG facilities for Tier 1 agencies have completion deadlines between fall 2016 and spring 2017, CNG facilities for Tier 2 agencies have completion deadlines between spring and summer 2017, and CNG facilities for Tier 3 agencies have completion deadlines between fall 2017 and spring 2021.
More information about the CNG Fueling Station P3 Project, including a list of the shortlisted proposers and their partners, can be found by visiting PennDOT’s CNG Fueling Station website.