Tired of watching Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) have all thefun, Williams-Transco announced its plans to construct anunderwater pipeline and storm the rich Florida market from thecoast. Named the Buccaneer Pipeline (possibly after Tampa Bay’sfootball team), its first open season will be held shortly afterJan. 1, Williams said today.

The Buccaneer will span from Transco’s Station 82, near theMississippi/Alabama border, to an undetermined point north of TampaBay, Williams spokesman Paul Gredel said. It will run 400 milesunder the Gulf of Mexico and will compete directly with Florida GasTransmission’s pipeline, currently the only interstate trunkline inFlorida.

Growth is soaring in the state. The Florida ReliabilityCoordinating Council predicts the need for 10,000 MW of additionalpower by 2007. If fueled entirely by gas, that amount of powercould require 1.5 Bcf/d of capacity. “Its fair to say we have oureye on those electric generation plants springing up all overFlorida, as does FGT.” Gredel said.

And FGT is not standing still. It recently announced plans forthe pipeline’s fourth expansion since going into service. The mainpart of the expansion is a 100-mile southern extension to FortMyers from existing facilities near Tampa. This extension will beused to accommodate the alliance FGT established with Florida Power& Light (FPL). It calls for FGT to provide at least 180 MMcf/dof additional gas supply and 100 miles of 24-or 30-inch pipelinefor FPL to re-power its Fort Myers generation plant. By 2001, FPLexpects to need more than 180 MMcf/d of additional gas supply tofuel the 1,400 MW plant.

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