Because the Wabash River has remained above flood stage since early April, Rockies Express (REX) now projects it will commence REX-East service to the four delivery points in Illinois that are upstream of the Wabash in mid-May.

“We anticipate service to the NGPL, Ameren, Trunkline and Midwestern delivery points in Illinois to commence in mid-May 2009 with the addition of the PEPL [Panhandle Eastern Pipeline] delivery point (Putnam County, IN) in late May,” the pipeline said in an informational posting Thursday. “The Illinois River horizontal directional drill (HDD) has progressed to an advanced reaming stage and it is anticipated that we will complete reaming in the next few days.”

The Wabash is expected to remain at flood stage through the weekend, REX said, noting that activities will resume once the river recedes below flood stage.

REX affirmed its previously projected in-service dates for Lebanon, OH, of June 15 and Clarington, OH, of Nov. 1.

Earlier this month REX said it had experienced delays with two remaining horizontal directional drills and projected it would begin interim service on REX-East in mid-May (see Daily GPI, April 13). In March the pipeline said service on the segment would begin in late April or early May (see Daily GPI, March 30).

Information is available at www.rexpipeline.com under “Rockies Express-East” and “Informational Posting.”

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