The new facility will be able to store approximately 1.25 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas for use during times of peak demand and is planned to be in service in time for the 2012-13 winter heating season.
There are reportedly more than 100 such liquefied natural gas (LNG) peak storage facilities in operation throughout the US. Although the project is still in the preliminary engineering phase, Piedmont’s investment in the new facility is expected to be in the range of $300 million to $350 million.
When completed, the new LNG facility will be the fifth such peak storage facility that Piedmont owns or operates within its three-state service area. Currently, the company has two other LNG facilities in North Carolina and one such facility in Nashville, Tennessee.
Thomas Skains, president and CEO, said: This is an exciting project for Piedmont and one that represents a significant investment in our gas distribution and transmission infrastructure. The Robeson County LNG facility will provide us with needed additional capacity to meet the firm requirements of our growing customer base in the Carolinas.
