![]() That project brought new gas supplies into lower Manhattan and helped the utility convert several thousand buildings from heating oil to natural gas, a move that was lauded for its clean-air and emissions-reduction benefits. As a utility spokesman explained, there is a “lot of natural gas around the country but getting it to New York has been the strain.” The last pipeline expansion in Con Ed’s service area was completed in 2013. Those constraints are largely due to New York State regulators, who have repeatedly delayed or denied the certifications needed to build new pipelines. Con Ed cited several reasons for the shortage, including “constraints on interstate pipelines that bring natural gas to customers in Westchester County.” ![]() The utility, which provides natural gas and power to customers in and around the city, explained that demand for gas has “been experiencing significant growth primarily due to the construction of new buildings, the opening of new businesses, and conversion of oil to cleaner-burning natural gas in existing buildings.” While demand is rising, however, there is a shortage of the fuel. Nevertheless, in March, Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) ceased providing new natural gas connections in most of its service area in Westchester County, which lies north of New York City ( Figure 1). Those pipelines are critical to the future of the state: natural gas generates about 46% of New York’s electricity and is used widely to heat homes and buildings. It is served by about 4,500 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline and about 87,000 miles of gas distribution and service lines. Today, New York is the sixth-largest gas-consuming state in the United States. That well led to the creation of the Fredonia Gas Light Company, the first natural gas distribution company in the country. In 1821, the first successful natural gas well in America was completed, in Fredonia, New York. In 2019, EIA expects domestic gas production to exceed 90 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). * Energy Information Administration (EIA), “Short-Term Energy Outlook,” Apr. This paper highlights the need for more natural gas supplies in the Northeast to heat homes, buildings, and generate electricity, and it explains how efforts to restrict those supplies are hurting consumers and the environment. New York and the New England states already have some of the highest residential gas and electricity rates in the country, and these rates will only rise as a result of the blockade. While these restrictions are claimed to be necessary to protect the environment from harm, they will likely result in increased use of heating fuel oil, which means increased air pollution and carbon-dioxide emissions. The shortages are due in large part to New York State regulators, who are refusing to allow the construction of new gas pipelines. natural gas production is soaring, up 91% since 2005-and the country is now exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) all over the world, including to China, Chile, and India.* Despite this surfeit, dozens of communities in New York and Massachusetts are subject to moratoriums on new gas connections due to shortages of the fuel.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |