FERC has issued final certificates to Southern Natural Gas to serve new power generation in Alabama and to Tennessee Gas Pipeline to increase firm takeaway capacity at connections with Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline and Portland Natural Gas Transmission in Massachusetts in order to increase the supply of Canadian natural gas to New England power plants.

The Southern certificate grants the pipeline authorization to build facilities in Alabama and Mississippi that will provide new firm transportation to three customers: Calhoun Power Co., Alabama Gas Corp. and the City of Sylacauga. Calhoun has plans to build a summer peaking power plant in Calhoun County, AL, that will sell power to Alabama Power. Southern’s expansion includes the addition of 14 miles of looping along its North Main Line in Pickens County, AL, and 11 miles of replacement line and one 6,000 hp compressor at the Pell City Compression station in St. Clair County, AL. The expansion will provide 33 MMcf/d of new capacity, which will be added with existing excess capacity of 52 MMcf/d to provide a total of 85 MMcf/d to the new Calhoun power plant.

Tennessee received a certificate to abandon 11.9 miles of 16-inch diameter pipe and replace it with new 24-inch diameter line to increase takeaway capacity at Dracut, MA, from interconnections with Maritimes & Northeast and PNGTS. The project will increase firm takeaway capacity at Dracut from 300 MMcf/d to 500 MMcf/d with capability for additional volumes to meet growing demand for gas in New England from new power generation.

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