Less than three years after a large fossil fuel company proposed expanding a major natural gas pipeline in New England, the company, Enbridge, is back with a new proposal. Known as “Project Beacon,” the expansion would substantially increase the amount of gas that can flow into the Northeast through the Algonquin Gas Transmission line. This pipeline carries fracked natural gas from northern New Jersey through parts of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and into Massachusetts. Details about the proposed project are vague, but according to documents released by Enbridge this week, the company would replace existing lines with larger diameter pipes in some places and run secondary pipe lines alongside existing ones in other places. Project Beacon would also involve expanding some compressor stations along the route, and could include new gas storage facilities. Depending on customer demand, the project could expand capacity on the pipeline by 10%, the company said, and be in service by late 2030. “Project Beacon would help meet growing energy demand by easing longstanding pipeline bottlenecks that have contributed to higher energy costs for consumers,” Enbridge spokesperson Max Bergeron wrote in an email. “By improving access to abundant domestic energy supplies, the project aims to reduce price spikes and strengthen the region’s energy system.”
Energy company proposes big natural gas pipeline expansion in New England
