Florida Gas Transmission Co. (FGT) is planning yet another mainline expansion project that would boost system capacity by 121 MMcf/d and add another 33 miles of pipe and 18,600 hp of compression. The company filed an application with FERC Thursday for the $105 million Phase VI Expansion project.

“The Phase VI Expansion will provide natural gas for electric power generation and help meet the growing demand among local distribution companies,” said Bob Hayes, managing director of marketing for FGT. “With our existing pipeline infrastructure, Florida Gas Transmission has the ability to meet our customers’ growing energy needs through economical expansions that minimize the impact on land use and the environment.”

The company said its application is supported by long-term firm natural gas transportation contracts with Orlando Utility Commission, Reliant Energy Services, Inc., the City of Leesburg, FL, and South Florida Natural Gas. Construction is expected to begin in late 2002, with planned phased in-service for the expansion of June 1, 2003 and Nov. 1, 2003.

As previously announced (see Daily GPI, July 26), FGT’s Phase V Expansion project was approved by FERC this summer, and construction is currently in progress. The targeted in-service date for the initial stage of the Phase V Expansion project is April 2002. The $452 million expansion, which the pipeline estimates will provide an additional 306 MMcf/d, is already fully subscribed.

Phase V is designed primarily to meet growing electricity demand in Florida. It will expand FGT’s transmission system by adding 166 miles of 16-inch to 36-inch diameter mainline looping and laterals, additional compression totaling 132,615 hp and various other facilities in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

In total, the company said the Phase VI and V expansion projects will add 550 MMcf/d of incremental pipeline capacity into Florida, expanding the system to more than 2.2 Bcf/d of capacity by mid-to-late 2003.

FGT, a wholly owned subsidiary of Citrus Corp., operates an interstate natural gas transmission system that spans from South Texas to South Florida. Citrus Corp. is owned jointly by Enron Corp. and El Paso Corp.

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