TULSA, Okla.—Williams (NYSE: WMB) Dec. 13 reported that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing the Gateway Expansion Project—an expansion of the existing Transco natural gas pipeline designed to create 65,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation capacity for northeastern markets.

The Gateway project helps meet growing natural gas demand by consumers in New Jersey and New York in time for the 2020-2021 winter heating season, providing additional natural gas service to PSEG Power LLC (PSEG) and UGI Energy Services LLC.

“Natural gas is a critical, low-cost component of the mix of energy sources necessary to meet the region’s growing energy needs and to help meet its aggressive clean air goals,” said Micheal Dunn, COO of Williams. “Energy infrastructure upgrades like our Gateway Expansion project will help ensure consumers continue to benefit from clean, reliable and affordable energy.”

The project has been designed to minimize community and environmental impacts by maximizing the utilization of existing pipeline infrastructure. Virtually all of the project activities are within Transco’s existing rights of way and/or property boundaries. It includes adding electric horsepower at an existing Transco compressor station in Essex County, N.J., in addition to making modifications to two existing Transco meter stations in Passaic County and Essex County, N.J.

Following the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, Williams anticipates beginning construction on the Gateway Expansion Project in the spring of 2019, with a target in-service date of Nov. 1, 2020.

PSEG supplies its affiliate Public Service Electric & Gas Company, which is New Jersey's largest provider of electric and gas service—serving 2.2 million electric customers and 1.8 million gas customers. UGI Energy Services supplies and markets natural gas and electricity to 40,000 customers across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.

Transco delivers natural gas to customers through its more than 10,000-mile pipeline network with a mainline extending 1,800 miles from South Texas to New York City. The system is a major provider of cost-effective natural gas services that reach U.S. markets in 12 Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard states, including major metropolitan areas in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.