Viking Gas Transmission’s proposed expansion of its existingsystem in Minnesota would have “no significant impact” onenvironmental conditions provided the pipeline follows certainmitigation measures during construction, according to a FERC staffenvironmental assessment (EA) released last week.

Viking, a wholly owned-subsidiary of Northern States Power,seeks to construct five loops to bring in additional Canadian gassupplies to serve new LDC, municipal utility and industrial load onits system [CP98-761]. The project would transport the gas fromViking’s interconnect with TransCanada Pipelines near Emerson,Manitoba, and from Viking’s delivery point extensions near Fargoand Grand Forks, ND.

The project, assuming it’s approved by FERC, would add firmservice of about 28 MMcf/d during winter months and 22 MMcf duringsummer months. It also would provide shippers with increased accessto Northern Natural Gas via Viking’s Chicago interconnect. Vikingwants to begin construction in time for the expansion to bein-service by next November. The FERC staff reviewed three existingpipeline systems currently operating in central Minnesota – ANRPipeline, Great Lakes Gas Transmission and Northern Natural Gas -as possible alternatives to the Viking expansion. But it concludedthey weren’t “viable,” given that they would have to add extensivepipeline to meet the Viking’s objectives. Susan Parker

©Copyright 1999 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.