Propane dealers learn from supply disruptions

…Some of the lessons are obvious.

“Those suppliers who are 100 percent rail will probably diversify their supply,” said Jamie Py of the Maine Oil Dealers Association. “Smaller- and medium-sized dealers are looking to put in storage to prevent these situations.”


Maine, which gets 60 percent of its propane by rail, saw problems arise almost overnight when 2,800 Canadian National rail workers went on strike on Feb. 10. Then rough seas delayed the arrival of ships in Newington, N.H., and Providence, R.I.

And it all happened during the some of coldest weather of the winter, a time when energy demand across the region was higher than normal.

AP