GARDINER — Councilors will discuss tonight whether to choose a new heating source for the wastewater treatment plant other than natural gas, potentially jeopardizing the chance for a pipeline to be expanded to others in the South Gardiner area.

Michael Duguay, director of business development for Summit Natural Gas of Maine, the company building out its gas pipeline system in Gardiner, said the plant’s heating use is equivalent to that of only about eight homes, but he didn’t know whether a decision to expand in the area would hinge on that amount.

“Truthfully, it makes it harder because any load you lose, you then have to make that up with some expansion somewhere else in the system,” he told the councilors on Aug. 21.

City Manager Scott Morelli, who recommended natural gas to the council, said the councilors might delay making a decision until they know more about Summit’s plans.