RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dominion (NYSE: D) says a
preliminary determination by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move
forward with the proposed Greenbrier Pipeline underscores the key role that
natural gas will play in promoting long-term economic growth in Mid-Atlantic
and Southeast markets.
Thos. E. Capps, chairman, president and chief executive officer, said:
"While this is a conditional green light, FERC is recognizing what market
forces and the consumers of the region have been telling us -- that this is a
growing part of the country in need of new access to energy sources. When
completed, Greenbrier Pipeline will open expansion opportunities for local
distribution companies, power supply projects, energy marketing companies, and
industrial customers seeking a broader range of competitive gas suppliers.
"We will continue to work closely with FERC and with local developers,
residents and landowners to develop an acceptable route that will bring that
energy into the region."
The FERC issued its preliminary determination yesterday after reviewing
Greenbrier's market studies, proposed FERC Tariff and rate design. Dominion
expects final approval by mid-2003. In its determination, FERC said the
Greenbrier Pipeline should continue to go forward, pending the outcome of
environmental reviews. On October 24, FERC issued a draft environmental
impact statement that examines the effect of the pipeline on the specific
route chosen by the Greenbrier Pipeline and proposes certain route
adjustments.
The Greenbrier Pipeline, a partnership between Dominion and Piedmont
Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) would be a 280-mile, $497 million project. It would
originate in Kanawha County, W.Va., and extend southeast to Granville County,
N.C. The planned route has been mapped by the partnership during more than
two years of meetings with local governments, landowners, customers and other
stakeholders.
The pipeline is expected to enter service in mid-2005 with capacity to
move more than 580 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. It will operate
as Greenbrier Pipeline Company, LLC.
Dominion owns 67 percent of the pipeline partnership, Piedmont Natural Gas
33 percent. The pipeline will be designed, constructed and operated by
Dominion Transmission Inc. The proposed route through West Virginia, Virginia
and North Carolina includes two new compressor stations -- the Elk River
Station in Kanawha County, W.Va., and the Eden Station in Rockingham County,
N.C. Detailed route maps can be viewed on Dominion's Web site (http://www.dom.com,
keyword Greenbrier).
Dominion has a diversified and integrated energy portfolio consisting of
about 24,000-megawatts of generation, 5.7 trillion cubic feet equivalent of
natural gas reserves, nearly 7,700 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline
and the nation's largest underground natural gas storage system with more than
960 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. Dominion also serves over
3.8 million franchise natural gas and electric customers in five states. In
addition, Dominion owns a managing equity interest in Dominion Fiber Ventures,
LLC, owner of Dominion Telecom. For more information about Dominion, visit
the company's web site at http://www.dom.com.
Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy and services company primarily engaged
in the distribution of natural gas to 710,000 residential, commercial and
industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The
Charlotte-based company is the second-largest natural gas utility in the
Southeast. Piedmont is also invested in a number of non-utility, energy-
related businesses including companies involved in unregulated retail natural
gas and propane marketing, and interstate and intrastate natural gas storage
and transportation. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available
on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com.
SOURCE Dominion
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Related links:
http://www.dom.com
CONTACT:
Robert Fulton, +1-304-627-3200, or Dan
Donovan, +1-412-690-1370, both of Dominion
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