NYRI project may affect pipeline plans

NORWICH – Developers of a natural gas pipeline say that unless New York Regional Interconnect Inc. addresses certain issues in its current proposal, the power line could create a hazardous situation along 42 miles of its 200-mile stretch.

According to studies cited by Millennium Pipeline LLC, www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI’s high voltage power line, if built, has the potential to create unsafe electrical charges on the natural gas conduit, and corrode its protective outer coating.

“Yes, that proposal could have an impact on our operation,” said Michael Armiak, an economic development specialist with Millennium Pipeline LLC in a phone interview Tuesday with The Evening Sun. “We want to clear that up before a decision (on the power line) is revealed.”

Albany-based www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI plans to construct a 400,000 volt direct current transmission line from Oneida to Orange County, which includes building along a total of 42 miles of the existing and future pipeline on its right of ways between Deposit and Ramapo.

A NYRI representative said the company has “exchanged technical information with Millennium” regarding this issue. Armiak confirmed there has been some correspondence with the Albany firm, but only on “general terms.” Armiak also pointed out that NYRI has not yet gained any land use rights to the pipeline’s right of ways, which are currently only contracted for natural gas facilities.

In July, officials with Millennium filed a statement with the New York State Public Service Commission, citing that NYRI had not clearly demonstrated how it planned to avoid or eliminate the certain safety concerns posed by the coexistence of power lines with pipelines.

“Unless the Commission includes mutually-acceptable sound engineering accommodations in any Certificate issued for the construction of NYRI’s proposed HVDC (high voltage direct current) line,” states a letter sent to the PSC on behalf of Millennium and its parent company, the Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation. “That HVDC line may be harmful to the safe and reliable operation of the Applicants’ (Millennium and Columbia’s) gas pipeline facilities.”