While still awaiting a U.S. State Department green light on another U.S.-Mexico gas pipeline border crossing, Sierrita Lateral (see Daily GPI, Aug. 13),Kinder Morgan‘s El Paso Natural Gas unit has moved ahead with the start of operations at its Norte Crossing facilities near El Paso, TX (see Daily GPI, June 18). Up to 366 MMcf/d can now flow to a new delivery interconnection with the Tarahumara Pipeline at the U.S.-Mexico border beneath the Rio Grande River. Ultimate end-users include five new gas-fired power plants scheduled to be developed during the next 15 years by Mexico’s state-owned Comision Federal de Electricidad. The Norte II power plant was slated to start up earlier this month, drawing its fuel from the Norte Crossing tie-in. MGI Supply Ltd., a firm shipper on El Paso’s system, has a new agreement for capacity at the proposed Norte Crossing facility, allowing MGI to export gas from the United States to Mexico to serve the Norte II CFE power plant.