By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 17 -- Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. (CGT), a unit of NiSource Inc., and operator of the Millennium natural gas pipeline project, said it has informed the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that the anticipated Nov. 1, 2007, in-service date for the proposed Millennium Phase 1 project will be pushed back to Nov. 1, 2008.
In a joint letter to FERC, the project partners urged the agency to continue on its current review schedule to assure all necessary regulatory approvals are in place to enable preconstruction or construction activities during 2007.
Along with CGT, Millennium Pipeline Co., Empire State Pipeline Co., Empire Pipeline Co., Algonquin Gas Transmission System, and Iroquois Gas Transmission Systems LP are involved in the project.
In early 2004, CGT announced plans for a two-phase delivery expansion whereby Buffalo, NY-based National Fuel Gas Co.'s Empire State Pipeline will be a key upstream supply link and Brooklyn-based KeySpan Corp., a major new anchor customer (OGJ, Feb. 23, 2004, Newsletter).
Phase 1 will transport 500 MMcfd of gas from the Dawn, Ont., trading hub and several supply and storage basins and includes the upgrade of a 186 mile Corning-Ramapo, NY, pipeline section on Millennium, which will replace an existing CGT line, and an 83 mile extension of the 24-in. Empire system from a point near Rochester to Corning, NY. Empire connects to the TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. system at Chippawa on the US-Canada border.