By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Apr. 3�The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved the request of CMS Trunkline LNG, a unit of CMS Energy Corp., to expand the peak send out capacity of its liquefied natural gas terminal at Lake Charles, La.
That 700 MMcfd terminal is the largest operating LNG facility in the US, said CMS. The approval authorizes the terminal to increase send out capacity to 1 bcfd. CMS is evaluating a further expansion to1.3 bcfd.
CMS expects to begin work immediately and have the peak capacity available by June.
"Increasing our daily natural gas send out capability to 1 bcfd will enable us to have greater efficiency, flexibility, and reliability to serve growing customer demand and provide our customers with more options," said Christopher A. Helms, president of the CMS Panhandle Pipe Line Cos.
Modifications to the CMS Trunkline LNG facility will eliminate operational bottlenecks in the regasification process, said a CMS statement. LNG receipt capability and storage capacity of 6.3 bcf will not be affected.