FERC last week gave conditional approval to a major expansionand upgrade of Jackson Prairie Storage that would add 3.2 Bcf ofworking gas capacity and would boost the firm deliverability rateof the Pacific Northwest storage facility by 300 MMcf/d, both ofwhich would heighten its peak-shaving capabilities.

The $30 million project, which is expected to be completed inthe fall of 1999, would increase the working gas capacity of theJackson Prairie facility, located south of Seattle, to 18.3 Bcffrom 15.1 Bcf; firm withdrawal deliverability to 850 MMcf/d from550 MMcf/d; total storage capacity to 39.4 Bcf from 34.3 Bcf; andmore than double the best-efforts withdrawal rate to 150 MMcf/dfrom 71.8 MMcf/d. Cushion gas capacity, however, would dropslightly to 19 Bcf from 19.2 Bcf.

The Commission said project need was demonstrated, as it woulddirectly benefit Jackson Prairie’s three owners – Puget SoundEnergy, Northwest Pipeline and Washington Water Power – and theircustomers. “This additional storage, as well as the servicechanges, will enhance Northwest’s ability to cope with systembalancing as well as aid Puget Sound’s and Water Power’s growingdemands for service in their market areas,” the order said[CP98-285].

Northwest Pipeline is the sole pipeline connected to JacksonPrairie, delivering gas from Canada and the southwestern UnitedStates for injection into the facility. Puget Sound, as operator,withdraws and delivers the gas to Northwest for transportation toPuget Sound, Washington Water and other LDCs.

The order, among other things, gives the go-ahead for PugetSound to construct up to eight additional withdrawal wells andassociated pipeline facilities in Jackson Prairie’s Zone 2reservoir, and install a new 6,960 hp compressor. Puget Sound alsowill make a number of changes with respect to the working andcushion gas levels of its two active storage zones – Zone 2 andZone 9.

Susan Parker

©Copyright 1998 Intelligence Press, Inc. All rightsreserved. The preceding news report may not be republished orredistributed in whole or in part without prior written consent ofIntelligence Press, Inc.