Tennessee Gas Pipeline adopts alternative routes for Northeast Energy Direct project

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (TGP), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, is adopting two alternative routes for its proposed Northeast Energy Direct project, which will serve the New England region.

The move will minimise environmental impact and enable to extend natural gas service in the state of New Hampshire.

TGP plans to submit an amended resource report to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) after an evaluation of feasible route alternatives for the market path of the project from Wright, New York, to Dracut, Massachusetts.

The company aims to adopt both the New York Powerline Alternative and the New Hampshire Powerline Alternative, which will use existing utility corridors to reduce the environmental impact of the project.

The proposed revised route will now include about 188 miles of new and co-located mainline pipeline facilities, including around 53 miles of pipeline generally co-located with TGP’s existing 200 Line and an existing power utility corridor in western New York near the proposed Market Path Mid Station No. 1.

Plans also include about 64 miles of pipeline generally co-located with an existing power utility corridor in eastern Massachusetts; and around 71 miles of pipeline generally co-located with an existing power utility corridor in southern New Hampshire.

East Region Pipelines president Kimberly Watson said: "By adopting the New York Powerline Alternative and the New Hampshire Powerline Alternative, TGP will be able to construct significantly more of the pipeline adjacent to and parallel with existing utility corridors in portions of New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, reduce the need for construction in undeveloped portions of the market path region and lessen environmental impacts.

"Additionally, we are working with Liberty Utilities and others to expand natural gas service into new areas in New Hampshire."