East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC (East Tennessee) has received a favorable environmental assessment from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its proposed System Alignment project. As part of the project, East Tennessee will construct 16.1 miles (25.9 km) of 24-in. (610-mm) pipeline loop next to East Tennessee’s existing Line 3300-1 in Knox and Sevier Counties, Tennessee; construct a new compressor station in Jefferson County, Tennessee; and construct a new compressor station in Rockingham County, North Carolina. The purpose of this project is to improve the operational reliability of East Tennessee’s system by minimizing the amount of displacement in the system design to meet customers’ shifting needs.
The new Talbott Compressor Station in Jefferson County will consist of a new Siemens 7000-hp (5222 kW) electric motor-driven (EMD) compressor unit and related appurtenances. This will include compressor suction and discharge gas piping, one new lube oil cooler serving the EMD, one new variable frequency drive (VFD) building and air-cooled VFD, one new electrical substation, and two new after-gas air-cooled heat exchanger (ACHE) cooling bays with two fans.
The new Draper Compressor Station in Rockingham County will consist of two new 9500-hp (7087-kW) Siemens EMD compressor units and related appurtenances. Its building will be equipped with powered ventilation systems for each electric motor, along with compressor suction and discharge gas piping, one new lube oil cooler for each of the EMD compressors, two new VFD buildings and air-cooled VFD, one new electrical substation and one new electric utility metering yard, and six new after-gas ACHE cooling bays with two fans each.
With the favorable environmental assessment from FERC, the target date to be fully in service is fall 2027.
