FERC Friday issued a favorable draft environmental review of Kern River Gas Transmission’s proposal to expand its pipeline system from southwestern Wyoming to Nevada by 266 MMcf/d to meet growing demand for natural gas from power generators.

The construction and operation of the proposed facilities “would result in some adverse environmental impacts,” but “these impacts would be reduced in less-than-significant levels with the implementation of Kern River’s proposed mitigation and additional measures we recommend,” staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said in the draft environmental impact statement on the Apex Expansion [CP10-14].

The project application, which Kern River filed last November, calls for the construction of approximately 28 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline in an unlooped portion of Kern River’s existing mainline across the Wasatch Mountains in northern Utah; the installation of a new, single-unit 30,000 hp compressor station (Milford Compressor Station) in Beaver County, UT; modifications to four existing compressor stations in Uinta County, WY; Utah County, UT; Millard County, UT; and Clark County, NV; and mainline valves, pig launches and pig receivers (see Daily GPI, Nov. 17, 2009).

Kern River said it hopes to get a certificate from FERC by December and place the facilities in service by Nov. 1, 2011. The proposed addition would close one of two unlooped sections of Kern River’s mainline and add 78,000 hp to Kern River’s system, giving it the ability to transport more than 2.14 Bcf/d.

Kern River said it has executed a precedent agreement and a long-term, firm transportation service agreement with Nevada Power Co., which began doing business as NV Energy in 2008, for the entire capacity to be created by the expansion.

The Kern River system, which is mostly 36-inch diameter pipeline, extends 1,680 miles from Wyoming to California.

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