FERC has approved two projects by Williams Partners LP’s Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Co. LLC (Transco) pipeline that are intended to serve local distribution company demand in New York City and fuel a new gas-fired power plant in Virginia.

The New York Bay Expansion is designed to provide 115,000 Dth/d of firm transportation capacity into National Grid’s distribution system to the Rockaway Delivery Lateral and the Narrows meter station in order to serve New York city [CP15-527] (see Daily GPI, July 10, 2015).

The Virginia Southside II Expansion [CP15-118] is designed to provide 250,000 Dth/d of firm transportation capacity to a delivery point on a new lateral off Transco’s Brunswick Lateral in Virginia, providing gas needed to serve a new 1,580 MW combined-cycle generation facility that Dominion Virginia Power is constructing in Greensville County, VA.

Both projects are fully subscribed, Williams said. Construction on each is expected to begin during the fourth quarter, with each scheduled to enter service during the fourth quarter of 2017.

Environmentalists opposed to expanded use of natural gas argued in the Virginia Southside II docket that the project should be considered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in concert with Transco’s Atlantic Sunrise Project as they both would rely on the same compressor station (see Daily GPI, Jan. 14). Last May Atlantic Sunrise received a positive draft environmental impact statement from Commission staff (see Daily GPI, May 6).

Since filing for New York Bay, Transco has filed for its Northeast Supply Enhancement, which also would serve National Grid (see Daily GPI, May 12).

“The New York Bay Expansion and Virginia Southside II Expansion projects add to our growing list of Transco projects that connect North America’s abundant natural gas supplies to long-term demand growth from local distribution companies, industrial and power generation customers,” said Rory Miller, senior vice president of Williams Partners’ Atlantic-Gulf operating area.