Anger as natural gas supply ruled out for Moate

A connection to the national gas network for the town of Moate has been ruled out for the foreseeable future, after a report has concluded that it would not be economically viable within the next decade. The Phase III report published this month by Bord Gais, found that bringing gas to Moate would cause the company a deficit of over one million euro - mostly through the costs of distribution - and was therefore not economically viable. It will dash long-awaited hopes that the town would get the connection, especially as both Athlone and Tullamore are already on the network. Factors such as an estimated increase in population and housing needs over the next ten years and subsequent estimated consumption of gas, as well as network design and construction costs were considered in the report. It said that the most economic option for supplying Moate would be to lay 8km of distribution feeder main along the old N6 from the existing distribution feeder main to Tullamore. These construction costs would total €1,839,479. Using a combination of 2006 Census and CSO figures, Bord Gais predicted that Moate's population of 1,888 will increase to 2,616 by the year 2018, while 26 new residential gas connections would be achieved in the town in each of those years. This would bring an on-shore revenue of €0.18 million and therefore leave the company with a connection bill of minus €1.19 million, concluding that "connection of this town is uneconomic on a stand-alone basis". Out of a total of 39 towns studied, only four were deemed viable for this final phase. Future assessments of potential new towns will be completed only on an individual basis as new information or developments occur. Moate was included in the report as part of the Kilbeggan group, which looked at the viability of connecting Kilbeggan, Moate, Kinnegad and Edenderry to the grid. The entire group was deemed uneconomic. 'The New Towns Analysis Phase III' study commenced in January 2008, after the network costs estimates report was carried out in December 2008. It is available on www.gaslink.ie. Local councillor Joe Whelan (FG) said he was "flabbergasted" by this decision. "The criteria was if there was a demand, then gas will be delivered. I cannot understand the Bord Gais criteria, because the demand is there and the gas pipes are so close to the town. It just doesn't make sense," he said yesterday (Tuesday). Cllr Whelan added that the initial report into the provision of gas to Moate seemed to indicate that a connection would only be a matter of time after Athlone received a connection. "I'm very disappointed by the news, but we won't give up the fight for it," he added.