Florida Gas Transmission (FGT), which is jointly owned by El Paso Corp. and Enron Corp., said Wednesday that it placed the second half of its Phase VI expansion facilities into service at the start of the winter heating season on Nov. 1.

The expansion offers customers a total of 121 MMcf/d of incremental firm gas transportation capacity, which the pipeline said was the equivalent of providing about 150,000 homes and businesses in the Sunshine State with electricity service. Approximately 80 MMcf/d of the incremental capacity was put in operation on Nov. 1, while 41 MMcf/d went into service last June, FGT said.

Because of the series of expansions on its pipeline, FGT reported it also was reconfiguring its system to handle the additional gas volumes by exchanging compressors at existing locations (Trenton, FL, and Munson) and upgrading another compressor unit at Perry, FL. This work is expected to be completed next spring, the pipeline said.

The $100 million Phase VI expansion, which FERC certificated in June 2002, includes 33 miles of new pipeline and 18,600 horsepower of compression. The incremental capacity created by the project has been fully subscribed under long-term agreements, with OUC (formerly Orlando Utility Commission) contracting for the majority of the capacity (80 MMcf/d). Other customers are Reliant Energy Services, the City of Leesburg, and Florida Public Utilities.

“With the Phase VI expansion, the FGT system has over 2.1 Bcf/d of natural gas capacity available for electric generation, local distribution and industrial customers throughout the State of Florida,” said Robert Hayes, FGT senior vice president.

FGT already is thinking about more expansions, said spokeswoman Gina Taylor. “Discussions are underway with customers on future expansions,” she noted, but declined to give any details.

The 4,900-mile FGT system extends from South Texas to South Florida. For years, FGT dominated the gas transportation market in the Sunshine State. But a new pipeline competitor, Gulfstream Natural Gas, entered the picture in June 2002.

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