Last week, the Georgia Public Service Commission approved a request by the utility to extend service into Bryan and White counties, which were selected because of their expected growth.
"We are so excited about that," White County Manager Carol Jackson said. "All the indicators show that there will be constant additional growth in this area, and we want to be prepared. We want to be proactive instead of reactive."
Atlanta Gas Light spokeswoman Tami Gerke said work is already under way on the White County project.
"We've got potential businesses and residents that are interested in becoming natural gas customers," Gerke said. "Construction planning began (Monday) for White County, and we're expecting that line to be completed in about 18 months."
Public Service Commission spokesman Bill Edge said the White County project will extend a 4-inch high pressure gas main approximately 10 miles starting in Clermont and running north along U.S. 129 into Cleveland.
It will cost Atlanta Gas Light about $7 million to build the White County line and the one in Bryan County in southeast Georgia. The projects will be paid for by the company's three-year Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement Program, which builds or improves infrastructure to areas that do not have access to natural gas and is funded by a surcharge on customers bills.
"After three years it's $1.18," Gerke said.
Last October, 39 cents was added to customer bills. This October, another 39 cents will be added, followed by 40 cents in October 2011.
The company has certificates to operate in 47 counties and actually provides service in 45 of Georgia's 159 counties, Edge said.
Tom O'Bryant, White County's director of community and economic development, said he has been
working for about three and a half years to get natural gas service for White County.
"It took a couple of years of working on them, and with the new STRIDE program we were able to demonstrate the need," O'Bryant said.
There has been significant commercial development in the U.S. 129 corridor, including a Walmart and residential development in the southern part of White County, O'Bryant said.
The availability of natural gas could be a plus for existing businesses but could also help White County recruit new industries.
O'Bryant said natural gas lines are an important consideration for industries when they look at locations.
"Natural gas costs so much less than propane," O'Bryant said. "The cost savings alone is tremendous.
"We offer almost an unmatched quality of life for residents, but we also need to provide the infrastructure for industry."