Northeast

Maritimes &Northeast Pipeline sponsors defended their proposed pipeline certificate (Phase II) amendment last week against attack by some the project’s own shippers and others who say it is too large and too costly for the market it will serve. Project sponsors said the calls for a stay on the project and a hearing on its size are based on a misreading of its amendment filing and a misunderstanding of its agreements with its shippers (see NGI, Feb. 22 issue).

The only non-affiliated shipper that has signed up for firmtransportation service on the Maritimes &amp Northeast Pipelineproject clearly is regretting it now. Boston Gas told FERC lastweek a request by Maritimes in January to amend its pipelinecertificate, eliminate about 140 miles of laterals in Maine andraise its mainline rates 61% because of the loss of numerous U.S.markets shows a lapse in rationality.

Significantly increasing its presence in the Northeast, SempraEnergy’s marketing arm, Sempra Energy Trading, agreed Thursday tomanage the supply and delivery of gas to serve Southern ConnecticutGas Co.’s 158,000 customers. Terms of the one-year agreement werenot disclosed. Sempra will begin April 1.

Unable to complete final agreements with many of its U.S.markets, Maritimes &amp Northeast Pipeline is expected to file anamended certificate application for Phase II of its pipelineproject with FERC this month that will defer construction of nearlyall of its previously planned pipeline laterals in the U.S. It alsois expected to show an increase in rates because of newcalculations of construction costs.

It was still freezing and snowy in much of the Midwest andNortheast Thursday, but cash traders continued to bank on anapproaching warming trend that has been ballyhooed since thebeginning of the week. Prices fell by about a nickel to a littleover a dime in across-the-board softness. The Martin Luther KingDay weekend (in which some apparently are getting a half-day offthis afternoon in addition to the actual holiday Monday) added tothe general bearish mood.

Nova Scotia Power Inc. completed the purchase of a 12.5%interest in the Maritimes &amp Northeast Pipeline (M&ampNP)project. This purchase represents a total investment of about $200million.

Coastal’s Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG), and Southwest Gassubsidiary Paiute Pipeline are holding an open season for capacityon a new pipeline to be built from northeast Utah to northernNevada. Jointly sponsored by CIG and Paiute, the Ruby Pipeline willextend more than 400 miles from CIG’s western terminus in UintahCounty, UT, to an interconnection with Paiute Pipeline near Elko,NV. The pipeline also will interconnect with the Kern RiverPipeline near its Dog Valley meter station south of Salt Lake Cityand will pass through the developing coalbed methane fields nearPrice, UT.

As Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline heads into construction,it is starting to look more like a domestic Canadian supply systemand lose its original flavor as almost exclusively an exportproject. The evolution of MNP as the delivery route for the SableOffshore Energy Project has set off speculation in Canada that itwill change significantly by its scheduled in-service date of Nov.1, 1999.

Unless an extra contractor is hired, the joint Maritimes &Northeast (M&NE) and Portland Natural Gas Transmission (PNGTS)pipeline will not be able to start service to Maine this winter asplanned.