New natural gas pipeline to boost Arizona energy reliability
A major pipeline is set to bring relief to Arizona’s growing energy demands. Transwestern Pipeline Co. announced plans to build a $5.3 billion natural gas conduit stretching nearly 500 miles from West Texas to the Valley.
The project will serve Arizona’s largest utilities, including Arizona Public Service Co., Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power Co. and UniSource Electric Services. The City of Mesa, which operates its own municipal natural gas utility, will also receive supply through the new pipeline.
Utility leaders say the additional infrastructure will help maintain energy reliability, noting that existing interstate pipelines cannot meet the rising demand for natural gas.
Danny Seiden, the President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, joins “Arizona Horizon” to discuss what this means for the state’s utilities and consumers.
“This is good news, it’s good to share some good news with you right now about a exciting project that really helps us plan for the future with our economy,” Seiden said.
These plans will bring an expansion through New Mexico, utilizing thousands of construction workers, and utility workers. The new pipeline is estimated to be fully constructed in about four years.
“It will result in a significant new supply of natural gas into our state,” Seiden explained. “…cause we don’t produce. We have to have our natural gas delivered.”
Natural gas powers roughly 46% of households and businesses in Arizona. The new pipeline is expected to help sustain the current demands that are currently increasing.
Seiden also discussed the nine compressor stations that will be located all around Arizona. Compressor stations is how natural gas is processed and then delivered around the state.
“Our utilities are going to develop those,” Seiden said, “…what would pay for gas and everything else is really determined by the efficiency…these compressor stations are necessary, they’re important, and if i’m in a community I’d be welcome to have one because I know that means we will get cheap reliable energy coming into my house.”
Seiden emphasized how the need for this new pipeline shows how Arizona’s economy and manufacturing has been booming.
