Ten years after the Mountain Valley Pipeline first proposed its 303-mile underground natural gas pipeline, the company said it has gone into service.
According to a news release from MVP, the company has completed all legal requirements, including requirements from a consent agreement with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved MVP to go in service on Tuesday.
The 42-inch pipeline is designed to carry up to two billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Marcellus and Utica shale production areas, at a pressure between 800 psig and 1480 psig depending on operating requirements. One of the first customers will be Roanoke Gas, for use in Franklin and Montgomery Counties.
Business organizations like the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce to the Pipeliners Local 798 Union welcomed Friday’s announcement. The union thanked MVP for hiring thousands of workers, many of whom they said were union members.
Opponents of the pipeline say they’re concerned for the safety of residents and point to environmental laws that the pipeline has violated.
MVP said the pipeline is currently available for interruptible or short-term transportation until long-term capacity obligations begin July 1.
The developers of the MVP are Equitrans Midstream Corporation, NextEra Capital Holdings, Inc., Con Edison Transmission, Inc., WGL Midstream MVP LLC, and RGC Midstream, LLC.
