Iroquois Gas Transmission System L.P. has chosen Houston-based Horizon Offshore Inc. to build the marine portion of its Eastchester Extension Project that will deliver additional natural gas supplies to the New York City market.

The project calls for Horizon to install and bury about 35 miles of 24-inch pipeline from Northport, NY, through the Long Island Sound and into the East River to the South Bronx in New York City where it will connect with Consolidated Edison’s system. The marine segment is due to be completed by April 2003.

The $174 million Eastchester project, which received a FERC certificate in December, will add 230,000 Dth/d of capacity to the Iroquois system to supply mostly power generators in New York City. It will be the first new interstate pipeline built into the Big Apple in about 40 years, according to Iroquois.

In addition to the marine leg, the project would add a second unit at Iroquois’ Croghan, NY, compressor station, new compressor stations at Boonville and Dover, NY, cooling units at Athens and Wright, NY, and an equipment upgrade at Wright. Iroquois has targeted the Eastchester project for in-service by the winter of 2002-2003.

Iroquois has signed 10-year precedent agreements for the capacity with five shippers: Virginia Power Energy Marketing (20,000 Dth/d); Mirant New York Management (60,000); KeySpan Ravenswood (60,000); Consolidated Edison Energy (30,000); and Orion Power Holdings (60,000).

Iroquois Gas Transmission is a partnership of 10 U.S. and Canadian energy firms and is owner of a 375-mile interstate pipeline extending from the U.S.-Canadian border at Waddington, NY, through western Connecticut to Long Island.

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