Harnett Dispatch

News of Natural Gas Line Coming to Harnett Gives False Hope

Houston-based Spectra Energy, which is competing to build the pipeline, has proposed a route from the shale gas hotbed in southwestern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.  In North Carolina, Spectra’s pipeline would cross Warren, Franklin, Wake, Johnston, Harnett and Cumberland counties before terminating in Robeson County.  The proposed project also includes an expansion of the company’s east Texas natural gas system. The estimated cost for the proposed Spectra Energy Pipeline Project is estimated at $4 billion

Elected Official Give Their Input

In a report released earlier this month, Commissioner Jim Burgin said that he was excited to see this coming and after researching the proposed gas line, it seems that it could bring potential benefits to Harnett County and may help with delivering gas throughout Harnett. Mr. Burgin said that he is a big proponent of natural gas and we could use this to help us.

The Facts

In the last several years, Duke built five large combined-cycle plants — ranging in size from 620 megawatts to 1,084 megawatts. It plans to build a sixth plant in Anderson County, S.C.

Duke and Piedmont have sent out a “solicitation for proposals” to selected pipeline builders. It is similar to a request for proposals, but it is not open to all contractors. Only those solicited may submit bids. Duke and Piedmont say confidentiality agreements prevent them from disclosing which companies have been solicited and even how many potential bidders there are.

The lines being proposed are called transmission lines meaning “Transmission pipelines carry natural gas across long distances and occasionally across interstate boundaries, usually to and from compressors or to a distribution center or storage facility or in our case to the power plants. Transmission lines are large steel pipes (usually 2″ to 42″ in diameter; most often more than 10″ diameter) that are federally regulated. They carry unodorized gas at a pressure of approximately 200 to 1,200 psi. Transmission pipelines can fail due to: seam failures, corrosion, materials failure, or defective welding.

The proposed lines are not intended for local municipality service connection nor have there been any plans or discussion about Harnett being able to hook into the lines. Duke Energy in a formal press release said that the construction could create some jobs during the project and extra revenue for towns but did not elaborate on any long-term benefits that would be seen in Harnett County.

People are not happy with the proposed route

The Harnett Dispatch spoke with some local landowners and farmers that said they were not happy with the proposed route going through their property because it would not create any long-term benefits for the people of Harnett or eastern North Carolina. One farmer said “I would not have a problem with it going through my property if it was going to benefit the county, but it’s just using Harnett as a pass through and what benefit is that, by having a gas line running underground through our county.”