Several local towns could see new, expanded gas lines
The Access Northeast project to increase natural gas supplies to New England could include new pipelines and expanded capacity on existing lines in several southeastern Connecticut towns.
Mitch Gross, spokesman for Eversource Connecticut, one of the four energy companies involved in the Access Northeast project, said Friday that the project is still in the planning stages and would need approvals of both federal and state regulators.
As currently planned, he said, new pipeline and expanded capacity projects would take place in Lebanon, North Franklin and Franklin and the Yantic section of Norwich. From there it would split into two branches, one paralleling Interstate 395 and stopping south of the Quaker Hill section of Waterford.
The other branch would go to the Norwich Utilities generating facility, and then travel through Preston and North Stonington before ending in Pawcatuck, Gross said.
He said project planners hope to file preliminary applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission later this year.
In addition to Eversource, National Grid, Spectra Energy and Spectra Energy Partners also are involved in the project. It aims to increase natural gas pipeline infrastructure and ease pressure on supplies that is driving prices higher, the partners said in a news release.
It would deliver up to 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas for electricity generation and “maximize use of existing pipeline and utility corridors and existing natural gas infrastructure,” the news release said.
j.benson@theday.com
Twitter: @BensonJudy
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