Manufacturers Urge FERC to Study Gas Pipeline Capacity Needs

A coalition of U.S. manufacturers is urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to examine the industry’s gas pipeline capacity needs.

The Industry Energy Consumers of America (IECA) sent a letter asking FERC “to hold a technical conference to examine the need for state coordination of decision making that impacts pipeline capacity availability for manufacturing,” IECA wrote in a Feb. 4 statement.

“From Georgia to New York, due to inadequate interstate natural gas pipeline capacity, the lack of coordinated decision making by states for the use of natural gas for new power generation, and decisions to shut down existing coal-fired power plants, there is no firm pipeline capacity available for the manufacturing sector,” IECA President Paul N. Cicio said.

Cicio argued that manufacturing companies are the first to be impacted when there is inadequate gas supply to meet overall demand, impacting facility operations, supply chains—and, ultimately, jobs.

IECA said FERC should consider new gas pipeline capacity in areas with new gas-fired power generation, retiring coal-fire electric generation and LNG exports.

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