LIBERTY UTILITIES SEEKS GAS RATE INCREASES
Liberty Utilities is seeking to raise rates for residential gas customers by close to 23%, which would be an increase of more than $200 per year for customers.
The N.H. Public Utilities Commission announced recently it will meet to decide whether Liberty’s request to temporarily increase rates for residential customers is reasonable. Officials said the decision whether to permanently raise rates could take up to a year.
The utility said about 92,000 customers could be affected by the increase.
The permanent rate increase would add $220 more to customers who use Liberty for heat, adding up to a 23% overall increase per year.
The Department of Energy said it is still reviewing data before bringing its recommendation to the commission.
A preliminary hearing with Liberty Utilities and the PUC is scheduled for Sept. 27. The commission will decide whether the proposed rates are reasonable.
Liberty said it’s requesting the rate increase to improve the safety and reliability of the system.
NOVOCURE ADDING PENTHOUSE TO PORTSMOUTH HEADQUARTERS
Novocure Inc., a global oncology company with new headquarters being built adjacent to the Worth parking lot, has received a key approval for a rooftop penthouse.
Attorney John Bosen, who represented the company at a recent city Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting, said the glass penthouse will enclose a previously approved “open-air outdoor terrace of approximately 2,158 square feet” on the roof of the building.
The plan still needs approval from the city’s Historic District Commission.
“We also do believe that this project is very important for Novocure, who intends to not only use the building for its employees but to host a variety of professionals and scientists from all over the world, for training and for conferences,” Bosen said.
The penthouse space will provide “employees and guests access to outdoor space where no green space is available at 64 Vaughan Street,” where the building is located, Bosen said.
The board voted to grant the one variance the project needed because of the penthouse addition to “allow a maximum height of 47 feet where 42 is allowed” under city zoning.
Bosen said Novocure intends to employ 200 to 250 people in the building adjacent to the Worth lot and Vaughan Mall.
Board member David Rheaume, who ultimately voted to grant the variance, said the penthouse proposal marked the third time Novocure came before the board seeking a variance for a similar structure.
SIG SAUER TO BUILD TESTING FACILITY AT PEASE HQ IN NEWINGTON
Gunmaker and defense contractor Sig Sauer recently received concept approval from the Pease Board of Directors to build an addition on its Pease Boulevard headquarters in Newington that will help them “meet contract obligations with the U.S. military, and will house facilities required for testing firearms,” according to Michael Mates, director of engineering for the Pease Development Authority.
“The new 1,550-square-foot expansion will be used to house two new bullet trap rooms and storage area,” Mates said. “These trap rooms are equipped with sand traps and bullet harvesting equipment used to collect spent bullets from firearm tests.”
The board of directors granted concept approval for the addition, which will be located on the south side of the company’s existing facility, earlier this month.
The project will likely not lead to the hiring of new employees, according to documents filed by Sig Sauer’s representatives with the PDA.
The news about the addition comes a year after Sig Sauer officials announced that between 130 to 180 people would work at its new building off Arboretum Drive at the Pease International Tradeport, including a mix of workers “in new jobs in addition to the movement of current departments within Sig Sauer that have space limitations,” the company said at the time.
Seacoast developer Two International Group has been hired to build the new facility on a 20-acre site, which will be home to the roughly 200,000-square-foot new building, according to documents filed with the PDA.
