QUALIFICATIONS

Qualifications of Heath and Associates, Inc.

Heath and Associates, Inc., has successfully served the natural gas industry since 1960. We have conducted a variety of studies that address the operation and management of gas utilities. The majority of the studies can be categorized as system expansion feasibility, rate, gas supply, distribution flow analysis, or asset valuation reports.

We have performed many feasibility reports for significant expansions of existing gas distribution systems as well as for new gas distribution system initiation. The expansion studies have assisted our clients like the City of Shelby, the City of Monroe, the Jefferson Cocke County Utility District, the Laurens Commission of Public Works, and the City of Lexington in successfully expanding their systems.

In these studies, project areas are identified and specific economic analyses computed. Heath and Associates ascertains the market potential of each project area via onsite surveys and develops forecasts for customer connections and typical usage by customer classification. We have extensive experience conversing and negotiating with industrial customers to identify potential loads and price sensitivity.

Construction conditions and cost estimates are a critical component of the economic feasibility analysis and are developed by our professional engineers who have many years of natural gas construction experience. Our expansion/feasibility reports are often used by our clients as a primary component of information packages used to secure financing.

Heath and Associates has helped our clients to construct many of the projects upon which the feasibility analysis was provided. Our record of accurately estimating costs and forecasting customer connections and loads is very good, and we invite you to confirm our performance with our clientele.

We have performed feasibility analyses for investor owned gas companies and entities desiring to establish new gas systems. Studies to establish new public or investor owned gas systems have been performed in many states. The service territory and capital requirements have varied from a few miles and less than two million dollars to over 800 miles and two hundred million dollars. Heath and Associates was instrumental in the establishment of Frontier Utilities of NC, and major expansions into eastern North Carolina by Carolina Power and Light’s ENCNG division.

Heath and Associates is constantly monitoring gas supply costs and regulatory rulings that affect our client's gas supply strategies and rates. Heath and Associates conducts a number of cost-of-service rate studies each year. These rate studies include development of a comprehensive financial model of the system to evaluate various rates and scenarios. The model includes a forecast of customers and consumption and is related to the weather assumptions input. Gas supply costs and fixed operations and maintenance costs are also modeled. Our history of accurately setting rates and estimating net operating revenues result in many of our clients using Heath and Associates exclusively for their rate study needs.

Heath and Associates aids our clients in developing gas supply strategies. Gas supply and load forecasting studies are developed from a detailed review of the system operating statistics and the correlation of load requirements to climatological data. The load forecasting statistics developed enable clients to accurately manage their pipeline contracts and peak shaving requirements. Accurate load forecasting statistics are also utilized in daily nominating, seasonal forecasting, and budgeting.

Heath and Associates provides their clients technical operating reports that enable management to optimize their operations or troubleshoot system deficiencies. Cast iron replacement/maintenance plans and system distribution flow studies are examples of technical operating reports produced by Heath and Associates. Cast Iron replacement/maintenance plans assess and evaluate the condition of cast iron systems and develop a plan to maintain or replace these pipeline systems. Safety, regulatory compliance, and economics are integral parts of cast iron system studies. System distribution flow studies model a utility's flow rates and pressures to evaluate pipeline replacements, upgrades, or expansions. Heath and Associates' experienced staff can streamline the consulting time involved in system distribution flow modeling quickly to identify problem areas and generate solutions.

Heath and Associates serves a client base of 30 - 40 gas systems in the Southeast and is on retainer with systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The majority of our clientele use Heath and Associates exclusively for their natural gas consulting needs.

Our firm assists clientele in the operation of their system as well as the preparation of system design and construction management for special projects. Heath and Associates has prepared operations and maintenance plans for thirty-nine gas systems in seven states. Heath and Associates also assists clients with Operator Qualification and Integrity Management programs and services.

Following is a list of management related studies that Heath and Associates has conducted in recent years. We invite potential clients to contact any of our clients and inquire as to our qualifications and performance.

Management Related Studies and Reports

mgmt related studies n reports 02-18-201

Engineering Design and Construction Management

Engineering design and specifications can be developed addressing any type of natural gas distribution or transmission facility. Detailed specifications for material standards and installation methods along with contract documents for public bidding can be developed for each project. Our services include design, bidding, permitting, construction management, reconciliation of invoices, and overall project management. Heath and Associates is routinely involved in many design and construction management projects for natural gas and landfill gas distribution and transmission pipelines annually.

Following is a representative listing of projects upon which Heath and Associates provided detailed engineering design and construction management services.

Membership Affiliation

American Public Gas Association

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Carolina Public Gas Association

Tennessee Gas Association

Landfill Methane Outreach Program

Why Choose Heath and Associates, Inc.?

Highly respected consulting firm with over fifty years of experience exclusively dedicated to the natural gas industry.

Experienced with natural gas system design, construction, and system operations.

Constant monitoring of natural gas prices, regulatory actions, and operating concepts within the natural gas industry.

Experienced with exemplary record of accurate rate analysis and financial modeling.

Reputation for independent thinking and unbiased forthright conclusions and recommendations.

Extensive experience with natural gas system expansion evaluations.

Outstanding record of accurate projections of customer connections/load forecasts and construction cost estimating for system expansion projects.

Unparalleled client satisfaction.