RIVERSIDE -- People who live in part of Northumberland County now have the option to switch from oil or electric heat to natural gas. It's all part of UGI's Get Gas Program, which is designed to provide up to 600 homes in Riverside with natural gas.
Even though work started last December, officials from UGI just officially broke ground in Riverside. Over the next year, UGI will install gas lines in Riverside.
"We were lucky that the gas was in reasonable proximity because we serve the Merck plant that's right here in Riverside," Don Brominski said.
The program is designed to bring natural gas to communities that don't currently have access to it. People don't have to hook up to the natural gas lines, but everyone we spoke with in Riverside either already has or plans to.
"The first bill came in and it looked scary how low it is," John Mattisini said.
John Mattisini was one of the first people to sign up for the program.
"It was time. Our heating system was getting there, ready to be replaced," Mattisini said.
UGI estimates heating bills will go down between $500 and $1,000 a year if you have electric heat. If you have oil heat, that number is about $400 to $700 a year.
UGI estimates that 75% of Riverside residents are interested in natural gas, but some tell Newswatch 16 it's the initial cost that's holding them back from signing up right away.
"I have an oil furnace right now and it's only 16 years old, so I'm on the fence on switching over to gas right now," Jim Hennessy said.
It costs around $3,100 to connect to a UGI gas line, but residents can make payments over ten years. It also costs between $3,000-7,000 to install a natural gas furnace.
"When their furnace dies and they have to do a replacement, natural gas will be there and ready for them," Brominski said.
Installation of the new natural gas lines in riverside is expected to be complete by the end of next year.
