PG&E Gas Transmission, Northwest Corp. (GTN) filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting authorization to expand its gas pipeline system by increasing compression at one existing compressor station and installing some 53.6 mi of new line in four segments.

The new sections will be constructed within the company's existing pipeline easement and adjacent to its existing gas lines within the easement.

Specifically, GTN proposes to install:

  • an 18.4-mi loop from Compressor Station 3 to mainline valve (MLV) 3-1, starting at milepost (MP) 2.5 in Boundary County near Eastport, Idaho, and ending at MP 20.9 near Bonner Ferry, Idaho, also in Boundary County;
  • a 16.7-mi loop from Compressor Station 6 to MLV 6-1, starting at MP 143.5 in Spokane county near Rosalia, Wash., and ending at MP 160.2 in Whitman County near St. John, Wash.;
  • a 12.7-mi loop from Compressor Station 7 to MLV 7-1, starting at MP 212.6 in Walla Walla County near Starbuck, Wash., and ending at MP 225.3 near Clyde, Wash., also in Walla Walla County;
  • a 5.8-mi loop from MLV 8-1 to MLV 8-2, starting at MP 271.6 in Umatilla County near Cold Springs, Ore., and ending at MP 277.4 near Stanfield, Ore., also in Umatilla County; and
  • a 19,500-hp gas turbine compressor unit at the company's existing Compressor Station 13 in Klamath County near Klamath Falls, Ore.

The proposed project will allow GTN to deliver more than 143,000 dekatherms per day of additional gas into the Pacific Northwest and California on an annual basis, plus 20,000 dekatherms per day of winter-only capacity.

Pending receipt of regulatory authorizations, pipeline construction is scheduled to take place in spring and summer of 2003, although some facilities may be put in service in the latter half of 2002, based on demand for gas transportation at that time.