A $3 billion natural gas pipeline to serve Florida and the greater southeast is ready to start in less than a week, the first in a series of projects aimed at boosting supplies of the power plant fuel to the region.
Developers of the 516-mile Sabal Trail gas line request federal approval by June 5 to commence operations for the project’s first phase, according to a filing with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday. The project, by Enbridge Inc., NextEra Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corporation, will add over 1 billion cubic feet per day of pipeline capacity, expanding shipments to Florida Power & Light Company, the largest electric utility in Florida.
The project comes as Florida finds its two major existing pipelines nearing capacity, raising the risk of supply constraints for a state that relies on natural gas to generate more than half of its electricity. NextEra’s Florida Southeast Connection gas line, which will shuttle supplies from the Sabal Trail link to a power plant, is also due to start in early June.
The first phase of the Sabal Trail project consists of about 480 miles of pipeline spanning from Tallapoosa County,
Alabama, to Osceola County, Florida, along with compressors.
