News Release Jan. 02, 2002

BOSTON – Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes) and Algonquin Gas Transmission Company (Algonquin) received final approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Maritimes Phase III and Algonquin HubLine natural gas pipeline projects.  

The Phase III and HubLine projects will interconnect the 650-mile Maritimes pipeline with the 1,000-mile Algonquin system to transport significant volumes of high-pressure natural gas to the northeastern United States, where demand continues to increase. Much of the increased demand is due to new natural gas-fired electric generating plants that are providing power to the New England energy grid as well as to residential and business customers switching to cleaner-burning natural gas.

“These projects will serve to ease the Northeast’s growing energy needs by delivering more high-pressure natural gas from offshore Atlantic Canada to power plants and local distribution companies,” said Tom O’Connor, president of M&N Management Co., the managing member of Maritimes. “Interconnecting the two natural gas systems enhances the region’s energy security and flexibility while providing a more reliable and economical pipeline infrastructure.”

By approving this certificate, FERC concluded that the projects’ natural gas transportation services were required for the public convenience and necessity. FERC also concluded that the projects’ routes were environmentally superior to the proposed alternatives and that the projects could be constructed with minimal adverse impacts to the environment. 

“We appreciate the efforts of the commission and its staff in issuing these timely approvals and will continue to work with the commission and staff to ensure both projects meet all safety and environmental standards,” O’Connor said. “With the FERC approvals in hand, we expect to receive the remaining federal and state permits in the near future. We will keep in contact with landowners, government agencies and other stakeholders as we prepare for construction to begin this spring.”

The Maritimes Phase III project includes construction of approximately 25 miles of 30-inch, onshore pipe from Methuen to Beverly, Mass. The Algonquin HubLine project includes 30 miles of 24-inch, offshore pipe from Beverly to Weymouth, Mass., and approximately five miles of 16-inch, offshore lateral pipe to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority facilities located on Deer Island.

Maritimes is owned by affiliates of Duke Energy (37.5 percent); Westcoast Energy, Inc. (37.5 percent); ExxonMobil (12.5 percent); and Emera Inc. (12.5 percent). Algonquin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Duke Energy. For more information, contact Maritimes on the Internet at www.mnp-usa.com.