FERC staff has given draft environmental clearance for East Tennessee Natural Gas’ $289 million Patriot expansion and extension project to serve new power generation and traditional natural gas demand in the Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina markets.

With the “appropriate mitigating measures as recommended,” the pipeline’s Patriot project “would have limited adverse environmental impact,” staff concluded in its draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). It noted, however, that it is seeking public comment on three major route alternatives for the project, which “have environmental benefits relative to the proposed route.”

The DEIS comes nearly one month after the Commission awarded East Tennessee a preliminary determination (PD) on the non-environmental issues of the expansion and extension. Along with the PD, FERC Chairman Pat Wood warned the pipeline that he wouldn’t sign off on a certificate for the project unless the pipeline squarely addresses landowner concerns by then.

The Patriot project entails an expansion of East Tennessee’s existing mainline system in Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Patriot will include about 85 miles of new 20- and 24-inch looping, 25 miles of 24-inch pipeline relays to replace existing 8-inch pipe, 77 miles of uprates, five new compressor stations, added compression at six existing compressor stations, and associated facilities.

It also calls for the construction of a 93.6 mile, 24-inch extension from central Virginia to an interconnection with Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Line’s mainline in Rockingham County, NC. A salt cavern storage facility is being developed by parent Duke Energy Gas Transmission (DEGT) and NUI Corp. in Saltville, VA, to bring added value and options to shippers subscribing to the extended transportation services.

The combined extension/expansion would boost East Tennessee’s existing design capacity of 700 MMcf/d to more than 1.2 Bcf/d. The Patriot project capacity will be added in three phases: by 130 MMcf/d in mid-2003; to 310 MMcf/d in November 2003; and to 510 MMcf/d by January 2004. Initial service is expected to begin on May 1, 2003, and all facilities are due to be completed on Jan. 1, 2004.

Seven gas shippers, mostly power generators, marketers and local distribution companies, have subscribed to 87% of the proposed new capacity, or 446 MMcf/d, under long-term contracts.

Copyright 2002 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.