The Dominion Cove Point LNG LP facility on Maryland’s eastern shore has been authorized to begin service following approval by FERC last week. The formerly mothballed terminal received its commissioning liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment in July, and service was expected to begin this month (see Daily GPI, July 28).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission noted in its order on Friday that reactivating the receiving terminal would be in the public interest, “as it increases flexibility in supply choices for its customers consistent with safety considerations” (CP01-76-006).

As part of its agreement in the reactivation, Cove Point officials told FERC they would perform a study to determine whether the terminal’s interchangeability indices or adjustment gas composition can be made less restrictive. It also agreed to file new tariff sheets to reflect the recommended adjustments.

Dan Donovan, a spokesman for parent company Dominion Resources, said with the start up of commercial operations, it will take the facility nearly six weeks to reach its full send-out capacity of 1 Bcf/d. Deliveries are scheduled for customers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast gas markets.

©Copyright 2003 Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.