Natural Gas Transmission Line Enters Service to Meet Public Demand and Promote the National Interest
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) entered service today after satisfying all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including all applicable in-service conditions of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's Consent Agreement for the project, and receiving all remaining approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. MVP is now available for interruptible or short-term firm transportation service until long-term firm capacity obligations commence on July 1, 2024.
"This is an important and long-awaited day for our Nation and the millions of Americans who now have greater access to an abundant supply of domestic natural gas for use as an affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy resource," said Diana Charletta, president and chief executive officer of Equitrans Midstream Corp. "Natural gas is an essential fuel for modern life, and, as a critical infrastructure project, the Mountain Valley Pipeline will play an integral role in achieving a lower-carbon future while helping to ensure America's energy and economic security for decades to come."
Spanning approximately 303 miles across West Virginia and Virginia, the MVP is designed to provide cost-effective access to natural gas for use by local distribution companies, industrial users, and power generation facilities in the growing demand markets of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. The 42-inch diameter underground interstate natural gas transmission pipeline is designed to carry up to 2 Bcf of natural gas per day from the Marcellus and Utica shale production regions to these demand markets.
"We are grateful for the ongoing professionalism and tremendous efforts of the federal and state agencies that worked tirelessly for many years to ensure MVP's construction activities met or exceeded all applicable permitting requirements," said Thomas F. Karam, executive chairman, Equitrans Midstream Corp. "In addition, we would not be commencing commercial operations were it not for the relentless advocacy and commitment of our federal and state elected officials. In particular, the resolve and commitment of Senator Manchin who championed and declared MVP as being critical to our energy security and national security, and the dedication of Senator Capito, Congressman Reschenthaler, and Congresswoman Miller who recognized the essential benefits of MVP, including reliable, affordable access to domestic energy."
The MVP is now part of a critical network of more than 300,000 miles of interstate and intrastate natural gas transmission pipelines transporting the natural gas that fuels modern America and the U.S. economy. Natural gas is recognized by the U.S. Energy Information Administration as the most affordable option for residential energy1. When used as a replacement fuel for coal-fired electricity generation, natural gas provides reliable power while also reducing carbon emissions by nearly half, helping to meet national and state economic and environmental goals.
"Demand for natural gas in Southwest Virginia continues to grow, and the importance of MVP's energy supply cannot be overstated," said Paul Nester, president and chief executive officer of Roanoke Gas Co. "The MVP and its natural gas supply are essential to meeting the needs of residents and businesses across the Roanoke Valley, now and for many years to come. Further, MVP's delivery points to Roanoke Gas in Franklin and Montgomery Counties are certain to provide direct, long-term economic benefits to our community and this region."
Since the project's inception in 2014, Mountain Valley has worked closely with state and federal agencies that invested countless hours and worked diligently to develop comprehensive plans for constructing the pipeline. In accordance with all permit requirements, the MVP was built under unprecedented regulatory oversight and followed stringent construction, safety, and environmental protocols, including the protection of threatened and endangered species, and cultural, historical, and environmental resources. Construction of the MVP required thousands of skilled workers, who demonstrated unwavering commitment and perseverance to complete the project and begin delivering natural gas to customers.
About Mountain Valley Pipeline
The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is an underground, interstate natural gas pipeline system that spans approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia. Subject to regulatory oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the MVP transports clean-burning natural gas from the prolific Marcellus and Utica shale regions to the growing demand markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast areas of the United States. The MVP is owned by the Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, Series A joint venture, and Equitrans Midstream, primary interest owner in the joint venture, is the operator of the pipeline. From planning and development to construction and in-service operations – MVP is dedicated to the safety of its communities, employees, and contractors, and to the preservation and protection of the environment. Visit www.mountainvalleypipeline.info
Cautionary Statements
Disclosures in this news release contain certain forward-looking statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and are forward looking. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this news release specifically include the expectations of the anticipated timing for actual commencement of long-term firm capacity obligations and the realization of benefits from the Mountain Valley Pipeline, such as its perceived role in achieving a lower-carbon future or American energy and economic security.
The forward-looking statements included in this news release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC has based these forward-looking statements on current expectations and assumptions about future events. While Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory, and other risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are beyond its control. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, and results of Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC and forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC's facilities are subject to many operational risks. Operational risks could result in, among other things, lost revenues due to outages or increased expenses. Uncertainties and risks inherent in operating and maintaining Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC's facilities include, but are not limited to, risks associated with facility start-up operations, such as whether the facilities will achieve projected operating performance on schedule and otherwise as planned, and any potential impairment of access to third party pipelines or facilities or interruption at transmission interconnection points with third party pipelines or facilities. The consequences of these risks could have a material adverse effect on Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and ability to deliver benefits anticipated from operation of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects and ability to deliver benefits anticipated from operation of the Mountain Valley Pipeline also can be materially adversely affected by weather conditions, including, but not limited to, the impact of severe weather, as well as terrorism (or threats thereof) and catastrophic events resulting from, among other things, terrorism, cyber-attacks or sabotage.
1 U.S. Department of Energy. Federal Register, Vol. 88, No. 165. Aug. 28, 2023. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-08-28/pdf/2023-18532.pdf
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