By Michael Kuser

Eversource Energy and National Grid notified FERC on Thursday that they are suspending the permitting process for the $3 billion Access Northeast natural gas pipeline expansion project in New England until they can find a way to finance it. The two utilities made the filing (PF16-1) together with pipeline operator Enbridge, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

The story quoted Brian McKerlie, a vice president at Enbridge, as saying that after the companies persuade state legislators to allow a special tariff for electric ratepayers to fund the project, “we’ll be able to re-engage the FERC filing process and be back on track.”

The companies’ action was not unexpected.

Last August, Eversource and National Grid withdrew requests to bill customers of their four electric distribution companies for natural gas capacity from the proposed pipeline expansion after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court vacated an order by the state regulators approving pipeline capacity contracts. (See Eversource, National Grid Withdraw Requests to Bill for Pipeline.)

The increasing reliance on natural gas to generate electricity in New England has led to reliability concerns, while the source of much of the gas, fracking in Pennsylvania, has led to environmental protests over new pipelines or plans to expand existing ones.

On Tuesday, Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren (D) visited a gas compressor station in Weymouth that serves the Algonquin and would serve its expanded version. Warren, mayor of Newton, criticized the pipeline expansion as a “mistake for Massachusetts” and said Gov. Charlie Baker (R) should oppose it.