FERC okays expansion of Williams’ Transco pipeline

 

Federal regulators reinstated a certificate and authorization for the expansion of Williams Cos.’ Transco pipeline and the timing could be beneficial to northeastern U.S. customers faced with frigid weather.

The Tulsa-based company announced Monday it had received word from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it had issued an Order on Remand Reinstating Certificate and Abandonment Authorization to Transco for the Regional Energy Access Expansion (REA) late Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

The Order reinstates the certificate for REA as issued in its original certificate order and will take effect immediately upon the issuance of the mandate by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court had ruled last year FERC should have carried out a more decisive risk assessment of “significant greenhouse gas emissions.”

Williams appreciates FERC’s swift action at a time when natural gas infrastructure is being called on to reliably deliver at record volumes,” said Alan Armstrong, president and chief executive officer of Williams.

“The recent bitter cold conditions across the Northeast are an important reminder of the vital role transmission pipelines play in delivering the natural gas necessary to keep millions of Americans warm, safe and secure.”

The REA project provides critical access to gas supplies, easing supply constraints, and delivering reliable service to customers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, with the capacity to provide enough natural gas to serve approximately 4.4 million homes annually. Recently, natural gas volumes on Transco have surged due to frigid temperatures, in addition to normal demand in the power and industrial sectors. This led Transco to achieve another all-time peak day on Jan. 23, 2025, with a total volume of 19.17 Bcf/d.

Source: Business Wire