FERC announced Friday its staff will prepare an environmental impact statement for the Access Northeast pipeline project that would move natural gas from New Jersey to Massachusetts (PF16-1).
The commission said the EIS will determine the potential impacts of Algonquin Gas Transmission’s project to determine if it is in the public interest.
The 925-dekatherm/day project includes pipelines and storage facilities along the route of an existing pipeline. Its developers say the project will be able to serve 5,000 MW of gas-fired power generation in New England.
Project sponsors Spectra Energy, Algonquin Submits Pre-Filing Request for Access Northeast Pipeline.) They expect to file a formal application later this year and hope to put the first phase of the project in service by November 2018.
The commission said comments should be filed by May 30. A series of public scoping meetings will be held at various locations in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts from May 16-19.
The project would replace 45 miles of existing 26-inch-wide pipeline with 42-inch pipe; expand six existing compressor stations; and build new pipeline loops and laterals or expand the capacity of existing ones. The project also includes an 84.6 million-gallon LNG storage facility in Massachusetts.
– William Opalka