Union Gas’s $264.5M natural gas expansion project from Dawn-Euphemia to Dover Township has wrapped up, on time and on budget.
The ‘Panhandle Reinforcement Project’ is set to be in service this month, after about five months of construction work.
Union Gas officials said earlier this month the project, which is part of an overall $622.5 million expansion of natural gas pipeline and compression facilities, will support the reliable movement of affordable natural gas to Ontario homes and businesses and markets further east.
“With the emergence of abundant, affordable supplies located close to Ontario in areas such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, the demand for natural gas transportation along the Dawn-Parkway System continues to increase,” stated Steve Baker, president of Union Gas, in a press release.
“Our investments, in conjunction with related infrastructure projects by Enbridge Gas Distribution and TransCanada Pipelines east of Parkway, provide eastern Canadian and U.S. northeast markets with increased access to the Dawn Hub and Appalachian supplies.”
Union Gas officials say the facilities include additional compressors and related station facilities at the Dawn, Lobo and Bright Compressor Stations.
Sean Collier, district manager for Union Gas in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent, told the Sydenham Current back in April the project’s construction was set to occur over approximately 41 kilometres.
The 36-inch diameter natural gas pipeline runs between the Union Gas Dawn Hub in the township of Dawn-Euphemia and the Dover Transmission Station on Town Line Road in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
“The project is in response to demand essentially in the Windsor/Essex area,” Collier said.
“There is demand in Windsor but also a lot specifically a lot of demand in the Leamington/Kingsville area related to the greenhouse expansion.”
Collier said there was already a line in place, so the project was essentially upgrading the line.
“It is a lift and lay project,” Collier said prior to construction.
“There is actually two lines that run parallel there. So we will take one of the lines which is the 16″ and we will remove it and essentially the same easement and than we will lay the 36″ line down.”
A temporary yard on the old Glass Factory property in Wallaceburg was established during the construction, which Collier said acted as the office for the project.
“We wanted to be close to town there because of the amenities and you know it was a good spot in terms of where the project is occurring,” he said.
“Central enough and it was just a really good fit. Obviously we needed to find the space that we can utilize as well. We really like the idea because a lot of the work is being done in pretty remote areas. We wanted to make sure that our office was close to amenities and so we could support the community while we do the work.”
Collier added: “I think it is pretty positive. It is also good from a tax perspective in the community. We pay property tax on every meter of pipeline, so there is a positive financial benefit to Chatham-Kent as well as Dawn-Euphemia.
The project was approved by the Ontario Energy Board back in February of this year.
– Photo credit: Union Gas
