The Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. has called for a halt in all state Department of Public Utilities proceedings on whether to grant the company access to more than 400 private properties for its now suspended Northeast Energy Direct project.
Tennessee Gas Pipeline requested — and was granted by the DPU — a “stay of proceedings” until May 26, by which time, “it is anticipated that the company will ultimately withdraw its petition” on its requests to be grant access to conduct surveys for its project, according to a posting by DPU Hearing Officer Stephen H. August to federal regulators.
The 416-mile, $5 billion pipeline project, designed to cross Plainfield in Hampshire County and eight Franklin County towns, was suspended indefinitely on Wednesday by the company, citing insufficient customer support.
“The period of the stay is apparently required for the company to communicate and otherwise discuss its decision to suspend further work on NED with its customers, including those local distribution company customers in Massachusetts who have previously entered into precedent agreement with the company,” wrote August.
Meanwhile, Tennessee Gas Pipeline has yet to request a withdrawal of its application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.
Kinder Morgan spokesman Richard Wheatley said Thursday of the federal commission process, “We are taking under advisement how best to proceed, consistent with our contracts.”
In another filing with the DPU on Thursday, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts wrote to the state agency that it its long-term supply agreement for gas from the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline was being terminated after being notified by Tennessee Gas Pipeline that the company would cease its investment in the project.
And according to Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s filing Thursday with the Maine Public Utilities Commission, “TGP is under a contractual obligation to explore in good faith with existing counterparties whether there is mutual interest in the potential reconfiguration of the NED project or the renegotiation of existing contractual arrangements for a period of 30 days,” with formal notice beginning on Thursday. “Because of the uncertainty created by these events,” the company asked the Maine utilities commission to continue its proceeding with the company for 45 days .
Kathryn Eiseman, president of Pipe Line Awareness Network for the Northeast Inc., had written to the DPU on Thursday to request “immediate denial” of Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s three requests for survey access, and wrote on Friday to August, asking, “How are the 400+ landowners to learn that they do not have to file comments? I personally know of quite a few who have hired their own lawyers to assist in responding to the petitions. If the Department does not compel immediate notification of the stay (or of dismissal of the proceedings, as I continue to urge), many may continue to expend time and financial resources on this matter.”