Iroquois Gas Transmission System said its long-awaited Eastchester Extension that crosses Long Island Sound into New York City will begin transporting natural gas on Thursday (Feb. 5).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave its clearance Tuesday for the start-up of the Eastchester line, putting into operation a project that has been in the works for nearly four nears.

The extension of the Iroquois system will supply as much as 230 MMcf/d of Canadian gas to generation customers and traditional gas users in the New York City market. The 36.5-mile pipeline extends from Iroquois’ existing mainline at North Point, Long Island, across Long Island Sound to Hunts Point in the South Bronx, north of Manhattan.

Iroquois spokeswoman Anita Flanagan was unable to say whether the extension would be operating at full capacity Thursday. She noted that Iroquois still was taking nominations for service on Eastchester late Wednesday.

The extended line initially had been targeted for start-up nearly a year ago, but the in-service date was pushed back because of additional work that had to be done on the marine portion of the extension, Flanagan said earlier (see NGI’s GPI, Jan. 20).

FERC certificated the Iroquois Eastchester Extension in December 2001, but actual construction on the project did not begin until a year later in November 2002, she noted.

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