Our Team
Creating Value
Response to Extreme Weather Conditions SaskEnergy and TransGas employees showed their commitment to safe, reliable service delivery throughout extreme weather conditions in 2014. With the first quarter of the year marked by sustained periods of intense cold, teams across the Province implemented flexible solutions to ensure the provincial gas system was meeting the high levels of customer demand. In mid-summer, heavy rain affected several communities in the Province, creating flooding conditions and washing away portions of highway in some areas. With the destruction of property came the loss of power and natural gas services for many residents, requiring emergency response from SaskEnergy field staff. The volunteer effort continued at flood recovery centres, where employees went above and beyond to address the concerns of affected customers. The significant rainfall throughout the summer also triggered increased ground shifting in many Saskatchewan communities, requiring elevated system integrity efforts throughout the year. Meter Exchanges To comply with Measurement Canada regulations and ensure safe and reliable service to customers, SaskEnergy exchanges a number of customer meters each year. SaskEnergy, along with third-party contractor teams, removed and replaced approximately 37,000 meters throughout the Province in 2014 — a record number and 12,000 more than in 2013. SaskEnergy accelerated the rate of meter replacements due to the introduction of stricter Measurement Canada compliance requirements that were implemented in 2014. The larger number of meter replacements was achieved through effective planning of internal and external resources to maximize field technician productivity, and greater coordination with customers. Joint Servicing Collaboration Project In collaboration with SaskPower and SaskTel, SaskEnergy initiated a Joint Servicing project in 2014 to streamline the process for installing service line facilities to urban residences in Regina and Saskatoon. Building on the success of the collaborative Joint Trenching project, which started four years ago to streamline the installations of gas distribution mains, joint servicing ensures a more efficient approach to installing the services to homes. Plans are now in place to streamline the application process to allow customers to make one-time applications to both SaskEnergy and SaskPower for service, using either company’s online application form.
Productivity and Efficiency Initiatives In 2014, SaskEnergy realized $4.6 million in efficiency savings and process improvements through a combination of business process changes and new technologies, the expanded deployment of mobile compression, improved external resource procurement strategies and the increased use of natural gas vehicles. In the coming years, efficiency savings will be realized through collaboration efforts, further deployment of mobile compression, and continued strides toward effectively managing current interconnections for importing Alberta supply.
Champion of Volunteers for the 2014 North American Indigenous Games
SaskEnergy’s Champion of Volunteers program is an example of the Corporation’s efforts to support communities across Saskatchewan. As the Champion of Volunteers for the 2014 North American Indigenous Games in Regina, SaskEnergy was proud to lead a group of volunteers that came together to support participants and proudly showcase Aboriginal sport, culture, unity and teamwork. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Pilot Project SaskEnergy began a pilot project with Ferus Natural Gas Fuels for the use of LNG to serve the town of Aberdeen and surrounding rural customers throughout the 2014/15 winter. The project, which commenced in November, will evaluate the capability of LNG as an extra source of gas supply when winter system demands peak, and to assess opportunities where LNG or compressed natural gas (CNG) can be used as a portable pipeline alternative to the financial commitment required for looping existing pipelines. The operation involves a mobile LNG storage and vaporization unit, which serves as a secure source of supply during peak demand loads. The LNG trailer allowed SaskEnergy to postpone the estimated $5 million in capital costs that would be required to loop the transmission line to meet demand in this growing area.
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2014 Annual Report SaskEnergy
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