SEAL BEACH, CA - Energy company National Grid has contracted Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to manage 13 existing National Grid-owned compressed natural gas (CNG) retail fueling stations in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Under the terms of the management agreement, Clean Energy will operate and maintain the National Grid stations, sell CNG to third parties, and upgrade the onsite equipment to increase vehicle fueling capacity for the growth of the National Grid CNG truck fleet. The two companies will also work together to promote the growth of the CNG vehicle market. 

Four of the stations are located in New York City and four are located on Long Island; three are in Massachusetts; and two are in Rhode Island. 

"These facilities are important strategic fueling locations for CNG vehicles that are being deployed in large numbers by area refuse operators, local trucking firms, and New York taxi, black car and shuttle customers," said James Harger, chief marketing officer for Clean Energy. 

The retail CNG stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island -- located in the greater Boston, Cape Cod, and Providence areas -- represent Clean Energy's entry into the retail CNG market in these states. National Grid supplies the natural gas used to produce CNG onsite at the stations. Fuel requirements exceed the equivalent of 750,000 gallons of gasoline a year. 

"The formation and continued development of this CNG station network is a direct response to the growing demand for clean, green natural gas fuel that we have observed in the Northeast region, as fleet operators deploy increasing numbers of CNG vehicles," noted Harger. "We expect to officially take over station management responsibilities from National Grid in the early spring this year with the implementation of a thorough transition plan for the customers."