Millennium Pipeline Receives FERC Approval to Construct Minisink Compressor Project

PEARL RIVER, N.Y., Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium Pipeline Company, L.L.C. announced today that it has received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") approval to construct its Minisink Compressor project. In its Notice to Proceed with Construction Activities issued September 18, FERC confirmed that Millennium has received all necessary federal authorizations relevant to this project.

"After a long and intensive review process, we are deeply gratified to be able to move into construction with this important project which will help deliver additional clean energy to the Northeast region," said Millennium President Rocco D'Allessandro. "We would like to extend our deep appreciation to all who've supported this project over the past 16 months and to all the regulators who've spent countless hours reviewing and refining the project design."

The Minisink Compressor Project will increase deliverability to the eastern end of  the pipeline to approximately 675,000 dekatherms per day by compressing the gas using two 6,130 horsepower natural gas turbine-driven centrifugal compressors. This type of expansion is ideal because it allows Millennium to customize its services to meet its customer's needs without installing additional miles of pipeline. This project is designed to maximize benefits to Millennium's customers, while minimizing impacts to its host communities.

"This project will allow for greater throughput of natural gas on the New York-based Millennium pipeline, allowing for more use of this clean-burning fuel which is helping to improve regional air quality," said D'Allessandro.

According to New York's electric grid operator, the New York Independent System Operator, the increased use of natural gas has helped dramatically reduce emissions from power plants between 1999 and 2009. According to EPA data, SO2 rates have seen the most dramatic decline, dropping 82 percent over the 10-year period. CO2 rates dropped by 31 percent, while NOx rates dropped by 62 percent.

Construction-related activities--environmental training, construction training and silt fence installation--are expected to commence immediately. Tree clearing and full construction will begin the first week of October. At the peak of construction, Millennium expects to have approximately 75 workers on site, many of whom will come from local labor unions.

Millennium has taken extra steps to ensure that the construction process creates as little disruption as possible and protects the safety of neighbors including: scheduling all major deliveries between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to avoid heavier commuter traffic periods; putting proper traffic control in place to ensure traffic flow does not unduly impact commuters and school buses; and, having site security in place during both work periods and after hours to ensure that only properly trained and approved personnel can access the site.

About Millennium
Millennium Pipeline provides consumers in the Northeast with additional natural gas infrastructure to meet the growing demand for clean energy. The pipeline extends from Independence in Steuben County, NY to Ramapo in Rockland County, NY. Millennium, which is supplied by local production and storage fields and interconnecting upstream pipelines, serves customers along its route in the Southern Tier and helps meet the energy needs of Northeast markets. Millennium is jointly owned by affiliates of NiSource Inc., National Grid and DTE Energy.

SOURCE Millennium Pipeline Company, L.L.C.