Texas Eastern is seeking US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval to install a 24,306 hp (18,132 kW) gas-driven turbine compressor unit at the Entriken Compressor Station, located in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, in place of the 24,000 hp (17,904 kW) electric-motor driven (EMD) compressor unit previously certificated as part of the Entriken HP Replacement Project, which was authorized by FERC in October 2023 (See “Electric Motor Compression For Pennsylvania Replacement Project,” September 10, 2022, www.josea126.sg-host.com).
Texas Eastern is requesting authorization to install a gas-driven turbine compressor unit instead of the EMD unit because of uncertainty regarding the construction of an approximately 8-mile (12-km), non-jurisdictional, high-voltage electric transmission line necessary for the project. The new electric transmission line was contemplated as part of the original project and was needed to provide the electric power required to operate the EMD compressor unit approved at the Entriken Compressor Station. As a result of permitting challenges and stakeholder concerns regarding high-voltage powerlines, the transmission line will not be constructed in a timeframe that would allow Texas Eastern to meet the capacity and timing needs of the project shippers and to provide the reliability benefits underlying the purpose and need for the project. Specifically, Texas Eastern would not be able to commission and operate the EMD unit to provide incremental capacity to provide service to the project shippers until well after the November 1, 2025, in-service date agreed to by Texas Eastern and the project shippers. Accordingly, the modification to install a gas-driven turbine compressor unit at the Entriken Compressor Station will provide Texas Eastern with greater schedule certainty to be able to place the Entriken project facilities into service before the 2026-2027 winter heating season.
