The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday gave Eastern Shore Natural Gas the green light to place into service the two remaining segments of an expansion of its system in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The two segments, located in New Castle and Sussex Counties, DE, are part of Phase III of a previously authorized three-phase expansion. Other segments of the expansion in Chester County, PA, and Sussex County were put in service earlier this year [CP03-80-001].

The Phase III project, which was approved by FERC in July, entailed the construction of approximately 24 miles of mainline looping and extensions in Pennsylvania and Delaware, as well as an upgrade of a measuring and regulating station (see Daily GPI, July 18). Phase I and II of the expansion were constructed in 2003 and 2004.

At an estimated cost of $14 million, the Phase III expansion is expected to increase system peak-day capacity to 132,101 Dth/d from 122,925 Dth/d, according to Chesapeake Utilities of Dover, DE, parent of Eastern Shore.

Eastern Shore owns and operates the only natural gas pipeline on the Delmarva Peninsula south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and has been serving customers’ gas needs since 1959. The system originates in southeastern Pennsylvania and runs north to south down through Delaware and parts of the eastern shore of Maryland.

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