Enbridge says PSC approval expected in March; council to consider franchise next month

Jesse Wilson, senior advisor for municipal and stakeholder affairs at Enbridge Gas, told the Fairfield Town Council on Jan. 21 that the company expects final approval from the Public Service Commission in mid‑March and would likely begin trenching and line installation in April if that timeline holds.

"We're anticipating that we'll have final approval sometime mid March," Wilson said. He described the company’s rural outreach program and how costs are allocated: "for us to bring it to the meter to your house will be free to the residents. From the meter into your house, you'll need to pay for that because there may be some ... retrofitted going from propane to natural gas."

Wilson said the company has not finished engineering because it is still determining the exact path into town and that right‑of‑way work will begin once routes are finalized. He also provided the mayor with a draft franchise agreement and asked the town attorney to review it ahead of placing the item on next month's agenda for formal consideration.

Council members asked about likely start dates and resident costs; Wilson reiterated the tentative schedule and the company's plan to coordinate with a town attorney and property owners on easements and connections. "Once we get that approval, if it is in March, we'll probably start digging and putting lines in in April," he said, and estimated the process of hooking all customers onto the system could take about a year.

The company cited prior rural projects as evidence of potential economic benefit if natural gas access arrives, pointing to recent work in nearby communities. The council did not take formal action on the franchise at the Jan. 21 meeting but indicated the item would be placed on the agenda next month for possible approval.

What happens next: The council's attorney will review the franchise agreement shared by Enbridge and the item is expected to appear on the next meeting agenda for council consideration.