Duke Energy Gas Transmission (DEGT) will begin a month-long open season Dec. 12 for pipeline capacity associated with its 95-mile, 24-inch Patriot Extension of the East Tennessee Natural Gas system into portions of southwest Virginia and North Carolina.

Company representatives will share project-related details with interested parties at a meeting in Greensboro, NC, on Dec. 12. Information about the meeting, the Patriot Extension or the open season is available by contacting Randy Riha at (713) 627-4746.

The 24-inch diameter Patriot pipeline will be coupled with East Tennessee system mainline enhancements to initially transport 200 MMcf/d beginning in fall 2002. The pipeline extension is expandable, in increments, to 600 MMcf/d and will serve new power projects in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. It was first announced in October (see NGI, Oct. 30).

The pipeline will bring natural gas service to portions of southwest Virginia for the first time, and introduce a competitive supply of natural gas to North Carolina from Appalachian and Gulf Coast producers. It will originate from the East Tennessee system in Wythe County, VA, cross Carroll, Patrick and Henry counties in Virginia and terminate in Rockingham County, NC.

“Demand for natural gas in the Southeast U.S. region is currently being driven by a strong demand for natural gas-fired electric generation,” said DEGT President Robert B. Evans.

Columbia Gas Transmission and Dominion Energy also have noticed the trend and are planning projects in the region.

Dominion last week extended the deadline for an open season for its planned Greenbrier Pipeline project to travel from Charleston, WV, to Rockingham County, NC through Dec. 19. The open season, which started Oct. 5 was scheduled to end Dec. 5, but was extended, Dominion said, because of time lost during the Thanksgiving Holiday. The $400 million line would carry up to 600 MMcf/d for about 200 miles (see NGI, Oct. 9).

Columbia’s Homestead Expansion would be east of the Duke and Dominion projects, serving the Tidewater area of southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Maryland (see NGI, Nov. 27).

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