Schuylkill County Comtemplates Switching to Gas <Gasp>

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. May. 17, 2008 8:54 pm


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So it was with no small dose of irony that Schuylkill County leaders recently offered a proposal that would have seemed unthinkable when coal was still king: converting the county courthouse and prison from homegrown anthracite to _ gasp _ natural gas heat.

The county commissioners say they're trying to save money, a familiar refrain of local governments looking to trim costs amid the nation's economic downturn.
It appears the incompetence/negligence/corruption level of the people running Luzerne County have been matched whatever it may be. :lol: You'd probably would have to be in Luzerne County to understand that statement... I do not see in anyway in hell that a company could guarantee savings over coal using gas. Period. there really isn't anything to argue about.


 
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Post by coal berner » Sun. May. 18, 2008 12:14 am

Richard S. wrote:http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwi ... 9cc514.htm
So it was with no small dose of irony that Schuylkill County leaders recently offered a proposal that would have seemed unthinkable when coal was still king: converting the county courthouse and prison from homegrown anthracite to _ gasp _ natural gas heat.

The county commissioners say they're trying to save money, a familiar refrain of local governments looking to trim costs amid the nation's economic downturn.
It appears the incompetence/negligence/corruption level of the people running Luzerne County have been matched whatever it may be. :lol: You'd probably would have to be in Luzerne County to understand that statement... I do not see in anyway in hell that a company could guarantee savings over coal using gas. Period. there really isn't anything to argue about.
No especially when they Just signed a New three year contract for coal at 120.00 a ton for three years
Nothing new for Schuylkill County still a bunch of dumb Ass's Running the County :x

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. May. 18, 2008 12:42 am

coal berner wrote: No especially when they Just signed a New three year contract for coal at 120.00 a ton for three years
:lol: Someone connected probably just put a 1 million BTU stoker in his 30,000 sq, foot home. This coal will of course have to be paid for since its under contract, they'll have to get rid of it at a loss if not pay to have it hauled away. For those of you outside the area you may think I'm joking but a scenario like this would not surprise me the least in Luzerne county. Not sure how bad it is down you way.

 
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Post by coal berner » Sun. May. 18, 2008 1:09 am

Richard S. wrote:
coal berner wrote: No especially when they Just signed a New three year contract for coal at 120.00 a ton for three years
:lol: Someone connected probably just put a 1 million BTU stoker in his 30,000 sq, foot home. This coal will of course have to be paid for since its under contract, they'll have to get rid of it at a loss if not pay to have it hauled away. For those of you outside the area you may think I'm joking but a scenario like this would not surprise me the least in Luzerne county. Not sure how bad it is down you way.
You know Damm well they won't pay for it to be removed We the Taxpayers will It is not like we don't already Pay threw the nose on some of there other great ideas They have come up with over the Years But this one is about the dumbest Yet :x

 
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Post by mike » Sun. May. 18, 2008 6:42 am

Don't let em forget it next election, hammer them on it. Of all places on this globe for this to happen this is the last place you would think would switch to gas.

 
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Post by CoalHeat » Sun. May. 18, 2008 7:36 am

Completely absurd. No where in the article is the answer to my question: How much will the "cost saving" conversion itself cost the taxpayers?

 
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Post by lincolnmania » Sun. May. 18, 2008 7:40 am

wtf? time for a good old uprising!


 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. May. 18, 2008 8:11 am

The fact that it's Schuykill county is really besides the point, I think the key paragraphs in that articles is this:
Mantura Gallagher, chairwoman of the Schuylkill County commissioners, said the board asked for bids for a "guaranteed energy-savings contract" and got only one response _ from Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell's proposal calls for gas-fired boilers at the courthouse, prison and county-run nursing home; new energy-efficient lighting; and an upgraded telecommunications system. The company has guaranteed the county a savings of $3.2 million over 15 years.
It appears they are lumping it all together. What they need is some projections with all those upgrades but instead with coal fired boilers. I really don't think we've heard the last of this.

 
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Post by billw » Sun. May. 18, 2008 9:18 am

After living in Luzerne county most of my life my first question is, Who's brother in law is the Honeywell sales rep? I've traveled quite a few places in my life for work but never came across an area that is so blatantly corrupt as NEPA.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Sun. May. 18, 2008 1:52 pm

I'll bet the big saving they expect comes from the fact that the gas company would be happy to supply the gas burning equipment at no charge for the conversion. And that right about where the big savings will end.

 
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Post by gaw » Sun. May. 18, 2008 9:25 pm

BOHICA This just in...Budwiser was just made the official beer of Schuylkill county.

All this means is that taxes are going up. Why should the county commissioners care, its not their money they are wasting. The devil seems to be in the details. They asked for a guaranteed energy saving contract. What about a cost saving contract The 3.2 million over fifteen years is 213,333 per year, less than $20,000 a month. That really does not sound like a lot to me for the buildings involved. What is Honeywell's guarantee written on, Charmin? If the county does not realize the "guaranteed" savings does Honeywell pay them the difference? I doubt that. How does anyone know what the energy costs will be like fifteen years into the future. All we know is that, like taxes, they will be higher.

 
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Post by acesover » Sun. May. 18, 2008 11:52 pm

From Mongomery county
Worked with an old Silcilcion guy when I was young, worked with him 18 years, he told me when he was a young man he worked for the mob only in a bookmaking job, in his job he would have to take an envolope to the court house every week and give it to the judge's secertary (Smiley) sound falmer to any one in Montgermory Co, so thats how it goes. This judge is dead and as is the guy I worked with, .... BUT YOU KNOW IT GOES ON, don't be so niveve. By the way the guy was never made, he quit cause his farther would not talk to him as long as he worked for the CostrosaNorsta. He said for two years his dad did not speak to him untill he got a regular job. He only took bets and paid off the goverment officals thats how he got out of the mob. This is true, I realy think the man did't lie to me, he just wasn't that way.. after 18 years working with a guy you know.

 
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Post by coal berner » Mon. May. 19, 2008 2:04 am

mike wrote:Don't let em forget it next election, hammer them on it. Of all places on this globe for this to happen this is the last place you would think would switch to gas.
This is Just another reason why I Don't for vote for Demorrats in order to save the County any money they would have buy the Natural Gas at 50.5 cents per therm with the coal at 120.00 a ton witch was the three year deal with Blaschak
was There is no way that the Pottsville Gas Company / PP&L could sell it to them at 50.5 cents per therm it is 12.50 Per therm with all of the taxes and Transportation cost So a ton of coal would have to be 720.00 a ton to match that Rate what a bunch of Dumb Ass's

http://www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/Commission ... sp#Mantura

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Mon. May. 19, 2008 2:40 am

:lol: I think you may be using the same calcualator they are Coal Berner...

Assuming $11.51 per million BTU which is the spot price a few days ago: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp That's up from $8 on the 30th of January and highest recorded average I might add....

On the low end the coal is going to be 24 million BTU's a ton.

According to that it would be $276.24 for the same amount of BTU's , It's still more than double the cost and noone knows where the gas price is going. It would be interesting to find out what they are paying. They are proabably getting a bulk discount but its not going to be a whole lot.

 
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Post by coal berner » Mon. May. 19, 2008 3:22 am

Richard S. wrote::lol: I think you may be using the same calcualator they are Coal Berner...

Assuming $11.51 per million BTU which is the spot price a few days ago: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp That's up from $8 on the 30th of January and highest recorded average I might add....

On the low end the coal is going to be 24 million BTU's a ton.

According to that it would be $276.24 for the same amount of BTU's , It's still more than double the cost and noone knows where the gas price is going. It would be interesting to find out what they are paying. They are proabably getting a bulk discount but its not going to be a whole lot.
I was using The New PennState Energy Selector
**Broken Link(s) Removed** College of Agricultural Sciences The Contact for the coal was for 120.00 a ton for three years If you use the Selector Natural Gas Per Therm would have to be 50.5 cents to match the coal Price The NG is 100.000 BTU/per therm at 85% Efficiency The Coal is 13.100 BTU's Per lb at 75%
Efficiency I screwed up with the 12.50 Per therm And 720.00 A ton for coal The 12.50 was The Electricity part of the chart I was looking at The therm would be 3.10 a therm if the coal was 720 aton Anyway you look at it They are not going to save any money it is going to cost more money No matter what they use I am going to fine out what boilers they are using They got to be huge to heat that court house That is not a small building Plus the prison is pretty big itself


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