Christie McMullen, President & COO, Elizabethtown Gas

Christie McMullen, president and COO of Elizabethtown Gas, sat down with Invest: New Jersey to discuss infrastructure developments that are in the works, how Elizabethtown Gas is working to meet the rising demand for energy and natural gas, and how the company is leveraging new tools and technologies like AI to enhance operational and organizational efficiency. “I believe that we are just at the tip of the iceberg in terms of knowing what we are able to do with AI,” McMullen said.

What changes over the past year have had an impact on Elizabethtown Gas, and in what ways? 

One of our biggest successes in recent years has been our investment in multi-year infrastructure programs to enhance the safety and reliability of our natural gas system. Elizabethtown Gas recently completed a five-year, $300 million infrastructure investment program. Last year, we were approved for an extension of that program, which enables us to replace another 75 miles of high-risk infrastructure, which should take us through the end of 2025. 

In addition, South Jersey Gas is in the third year of a five-year modernization program. That investment program is looking to replace 250 miles of aging pipes, while also installing safety equipment and other enhancements. The goal of this program is to improve the safety and reliability of our overall system. These infrastructure enhancement programs improve energy infrastructure resiliency, enabling us to prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters.

How have you prepared to meet demand as the need for your services continues to rise? 

There continues to be an increase in demand for natural gas. Among the five most commonly used energy sources for heating purposes, natural gas is the most affordable. In fact, according to the American Gas Association, electricity costs 3.5 times higher than natural gas from a heating perspective, and natural gas also bests propane and heating oil in terms of affordability. Therefore, we are continuing to see customers who request natural gas.  

In addition to adding new customers, we continue to highlight our energy efficiency programs that can help customers manage their energy usage and save energy. We have two separate programs, one for South Jersey Gas (SJGsaveenergy.com) and one for Elizabethtown Gas (ETGsaveenergy.com). We also provide customers with resources for financial assistance to help them pay and manage their bills. 

What noteworthy trends or shifts in the utilities sector can be seen throughout Elizabethtown? 

Overall, I would say that our infrastructure is the backbone of our energy security and reliability, and infrastructure enhancements are imperative to our strategic approach. In terms of trends, we are seeing an increased focus on ensuring our infrastructure is enhanced and reliable. We’ve seen about $17 billion worth of natural gas infrastructure investments that have been funded across the state of New Jersey, and this infrastructure is critically important to New Jersey’s energy future.

The industry faces challenges in balancing the need to maintain existing infrastructure with the desire to expand and modernize it, particularly given the growing demand for energy. 

In addition to our focus on infrastructure, implementing new types of technology to help reduce costs and improve safety has been key. We recently began using CISBOT, or Cast-Iron Joint Sealing Robot, which was developed by ULC Technologies. This technology can navigate the mains through openings in the street to help seal joints from the inside of the pipes. This has enabled us to fix and reinforce our pipes without tearing up the roads, blocking traffic, or interrupting gas service. This has been part of our ongoing effort to continue to provide safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas while also protecting the environment. 

Where do you see Elizabethtown utilizing AI and new and emerging technologies? 

In general, we are looking into all of the different technologies that are out there. We are looking to continue leveraging the investments that we have in our various systems, like our IT systems, to enhance efficiency. Elizabethtown Gas has invested in AI and processes that enable us to automate activities. I believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of knowing what we can do with AI. I look forward to the next five years to see how we leverage technology to transform the way we work. 

What challenges is Elizabethtown Gas facing? 

The overall demand for energy has continued to be a challenge, not just for Elizabethtown Gas, but for the overall industry. As we look into investing in renewables, we understand that investing in renewables is not going to be the only way to meet our full energy demands. We are going to need all of the energy sources that we have to ensure that we can meet the demands of the future. I believe we will need an “all of the above” approach, that includes our conventional fuels, which will help ensure the grid remains reliable when demand spikes—whether during a cold snap, heatwave or economic expansion.

How does Elizabethtown Gas engage in supporting the local community? 

We do our best to make sure that our customers are aware of the programs that we have available to save energy and money. Our energy assistance team attends hundreds of community events a year to share information on financial assistance programs with our customers. Last year, SJI and its employees came together to make a collective difference for our communities through the Employee Giving Campaign – raising over $176,000 for local nonprofits. Through a company match, SJI donated more than $350,000 in critical support to local, regional and statewide community-based organizations.

What is the economic outlook for Elizabethtown moving forward? 

As we look to the future, renewables are going to continue to play a larger role in the industry, as well as in our energy portfolio, and we continue to make significant investments in this space. SJI has more than 20 dairy RNG projects in various stages of development throughout the United States. In addition, we are constructing the Linden Renewable Energy project, which is anticipated to be one of the largest food waste-to-renewable natural gas projects in the United States. 

The facility has the capacity to process over 1,400 tons of waste that is expected to produce more than 3,000 MMBtu/day of RNG. This is the energy equivalent value of around 30,000 gallons of gasoline per day. The project is anticipated to convert organic waste into pipeline quality natural gas, utilizing anaerobic digestion technology. The bio-methane is expected to then be upgraded to pipeline quality standards for injection into the Elizabethtown Gas system adjacent to the site. The project is slated to be completed by the fourth quarter of this year. This project is exciting because it allows Elizabethtown Gas customers to utilize this bio-methane and participate in our cleaner energy future. 

We are also partnering with OPAL Fuels on the construction of an RNG facility at a solid waste landfill in Burlington County. This is the second collaboration we have had with OPAL Fuels to develop, construct, own, and operate RNG facilities. 

Lastly, we are working on a hydrogen project in South Harrison, New Jersey, which is expected to come online this year. It will utilize electrical power generated from a solar array needed to run a 1-megawatt equivalent electrolyzer at the facility. That hydrogen is expected to be blended directly into the South Jersey Gas distribution system. The project is expected to generate approximately 33,000 kilograms of hydrogen annually and lower the overall carbon intensity of the energy that we transport to our customers.