FERC staff has issued a favorable environmental assessment (EA) for National Grid LNG LLC’s (NGLNG) proposed Fields Point Liquefaction Project, which would add service at an existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility in Providence, RI.

Staff concluded that if implemented with appropriate mitigating circumstances the project would not significantly affect “the quality of the human environment” [CP16-121].

The EA was issued nearly 15 months after NGLNG applied at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to add liquefaction service at the facility, which is owned and operated by NGLNG, and is fully contracted by three firm storage customers for peak-shaving use. The storage facility currently receives LNG only by tanker truck.

The project was requested by two of NGLNG’s affiliated storage customers, The Narragansett Electric Co. and Boston Gas Co., to enable them to deliver gas in vapor form to be liquefied for storage as an alternative to delivering LNG by trucks. The project to add a liquefier at the site was considered by FERC staff and others during its pre-filing review [PF15-28].

The natural gas liquefier project would include an electric-powered booster compressor, pretreatment system, gas regeneration heater and liquefaction train including heat exchangers cooled by a closed-loop nitrogen refrigeration cycle.

Cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EA included the U.S. Department of Transportation, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council.

FERC will accept public comment on the project through July 25.