The developer of a proposed 83-mile natural gas pipeline across five central Virginia counties is putting the plan on hold following a ruling by a federal regulatory commission.
Beth Minear, an outreach coordinator for the pipeline, emailed government officials in Hanover County on Sunday, to say they were putting it on “pause” because of a ruling Friday by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the power plant. The commission upheld a decision by PJM, a regional transmission organization in multiple states, to remove the power plant from its permit queue.
The announcement is good news for opponents along the proposed pipeline route – from Louisa to Charles City County – who worry about negative environmental impacts.
The project, called Chickahominy Pipeline, would transport natural gas from Louisa County through Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Charles City counties to a yet-to-be built natural gas power plant. That plant would burn the gas to create electricity that would be sold into a large market of several states.
So the pipeline will suspend its plans while the developers decide whether to keep moving forward with the power plant, she wrote.
Separately, in December, the Virginia State Corporation Commission rejected a request by the developer to build the pipeline with approval from the SCC.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
