Dominion Energy

CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Maryland | Processing Plants | Regulation | Statewide MD

DOE Rejects Sierra Club’s Request to Re-Hear Cove Point Decision
April 26, 2016April 26, 2016

Radical environmentalists from groups like the Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Earthjustice continue a full court press to try and stop Dominion’s Cove Point LNG (liquefied natural gas) export facility, currently under construction (more than a quarter done) along the coast of Maryland. These groups coordinate and collude to try and deny a single, legitimate business–Dominion–the right to conduct business. Sounds like something out of Stalin’s Russia or Hitler’s Germany–but no. It’s right here in the US of A. Here’s the radical’s strategy in a nutshell–throw as much feces against the wall as you can, and hope that some of it sticks. One pile of feces they’ve thrown is to file multiple lawsuits, in various courts (see Green Groups Ask DC Judge to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG). Another pile of feces thrown is against the government agencies involved–the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Dept. of Energy (DOE). The strategy used by antis against the agencies is to beg and plead for “re-hearings” of decisions already made by the agencies. Last year FERC told the nutters to blow off (see FERC Says “No” to Anti’s Request for Cove Point LNG Re-hearing). The Sierra Club then went after the DOE–to ask them to reconsider their approval to sell Cove Point LNG to non-Free Trade Agreement countries–specifically India and Japan. Last week the DOE also told the Sierra Club to blow off…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Randolph County | West Virginia

Dominion Works with WV Community to Re-Route Atlantic Coast Pipeline
April 22, 2016April 22, 2016

Atlantic Coast Pipeline map – click for larger version

We love it when adults are in the room and discussing important issues, rather than petulant babies stamping their feet and demanding “no drilling” and “no pipeline.” When there’s adults in the room, things get done. Such was the case when Dominion officials met with Randolph, WV County Comissioners to update them on the status of the $5 billion, 550-mile long Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, slated to come through Randolph County. The 42-inch pipeline is not without controversy because anti-fossil fuelers convert what used to be routine pipelines into controversy. But there was no controversy at the meeting. Commissioners, on behalf of residents, had expressed concerns over the pipeline’s route through the Mingo Flats area. And guess what? Dominion has changed the route to avoid that area. Contrary to the image of a Big Evil Pipeline Company that “does what it wants,” Dominion (and others, like Kinder Morgan, and Sectra Energy, and Williams, etc.) makes every attempt to accommodate landowner requests when building a new pipeline. Here’s how it works when there’s adults in the room…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Maryland | Statewide MD

Green Groups Ask DC Judge to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG
April 20, 2016April 20, 2016

Big Green groups, including the nutty Sierra Club, the left-leaning Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the odious Earthjustice continue to pump money and lawyers and time into an effort to stop progress on Dominion’s construction of an LNG (liquefied natural gas) export facility in Cove Point, Maryland. As of March the Cove Point project was already a quarter done (see Cove Point LNG Export Plant Now 24% Complete, Rapid Progress). Last June Earthjustice and its co-conspirators filed a lawsuit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission claiming that FERC was wrong to issue a permit for the facility (see Earthjustice Asks Court to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG). Yesterday the nutjobs got their day in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, once again asking the judges to stop construction at the site so they can litigate it into eternity…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services

Dominion Floats 10.2M Shares of Stock for $750M, Help w/Questar
April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

Midstream and utility company giant Dominion announced yesterday they are floating 10.2 million new shares of common stock in the company, hoping to raise $750 million. Dominion says it will use the money for “general corporate purposes,” to repay debt, etc.–but perhaps most importantly, to help “fund in part Dominion’s combination with Questar Corporation.” Questar is a Rockies-based integrated natural gas company and Dominion is attempting to buy them for $4.4 billion–so every penny counts in that endeavor (see Dominion Resources Makes Play for Western NatGas Company Questar). Here’s the particulars of Dominion’s new stock offering…
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Air Quality | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | NiSource | Regulation | UGI Energy Services

Dominion & NiSource Bow Down to Lord Obama, Worship the EPA
March 31, 2016March 31, 2016

Yesterday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled the Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program at the Global Methane Forum held in Washington, DC. The Methane Challenge is a “voluntary” program for obsequious companies to pretend they’re concerned about so-called fugitive methane escaping into the atmosphere and toasting Mom Earth. Silly, we know–but this is how some billion dollar companies gain favors from the political establishment–and improve their evil fossil fuel image with the nutjobs who believe in this stuff. Tragically, several Marcellus midstream companies, including Dominion, NiSource and UGI signed on to this flummery. There are 41 such companies from across the country who have signed on to the Methane Challenge (we list them all below). Prediction: It won’t be long before this “voluntary” program becomes involuntary–with the jackboots of the EPA on the necks of all oil and gas companies to get them to comply with the unrealistic standards in the program…
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Dominion Energy | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Statewide VA | Virginia

Virginia Approves State’s Largest NatGas-Powered Electric Plant
March 30, 2016March 30, 2016

Last July Dominion filed a request with the Virginia State Corporate Commission (SCC) to build a $1.3 billion state-of-the-art natural gas-fired electric generating station in Greensville County, VA (see Dominion to Build Electric Plant in S VA Powered by Marcellus Gas). The new power station will generate 1,600 megawatts–enough electricity to power 400,000 homes. It will be the biggest electric plant in Virginia. The plant would be powered by–you guessed it–Marcellus Shale gas (see Virginia’s Largest Electric Plant to be Powered by Marcellus Gas). We have some great news to report. The SCC has approved the project. Construction, according to Dominion, will begin “later this year”…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Dominion’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline Makes Major Strides
March 23, 2016March 23, 2016

Some very good news for the $5 billion, 594-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline–a natural gas pipeline that will stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. Dominion, the main sponsor of the project, reports they have agreements for 96% of the capacity along the 1.5 billion cubic feet per day pipeline. Not only that, but 90% of the landowners along the pipeline’s proposed route have granted Dominion survey access, and some 500 landowners (representing 18% of all landowners) have already signed contracts to allow the pipeline. The antis are desperately trying to stop this project–and they’re failing…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Dominion Files Application to Move Marcellus Gas to Charleston, SC
March 22, 2016March 22, 2016

According to their own documents and timelines, Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission is behind a few months, but they finally just filed an official application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a 55-mile pipeline project called the Transco to Charleston Project. As the name implies, it will be a short pipeline to connect the Transco pipeline, which is in the process of reversing flows to bring Marcellus and Utica Shale gas south, to send that gas to the Charleston, SC area. The projected in-service date is November 2017…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Ohio | Statewide OH

Dominion East Ohio Distributes $110,000 Community Impact Awards
March 17, 2016March 17, 2016

Last September MDN told you that Dominion East Ohio had allocated $110,000 to award in community grants to non-profits that have “made a difference” in the Ohio communities they serve (see Dominion Does It Again – $110K in Grants to OH Community Groups). As we said at the time, Dominion is a company that is “doing it the right way” with respect to giving back to the communities in which they operate. Yesterday Dominion announced they’ve awarded that $110,000 to 15 groups. Here’s who the winners are…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services

Dominion’s Quest to Buy Questar for $4.4B Advances
March 4, 2016March 4, 2016

In February MDN told you that midstream and local utility Dominion, with a major presence in the Marcellus/Utica region, has floated a takover offer to Questar Corporation, offering to buy the company for $4.4 billion (see Dominion Resources Makes Play for Western NatGas Company Questar). Questar is a Rockies-based integrated natural gas company operating through three subsidiaries: Questar Gas provides retail natural gas distribution in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho; Wexpro develops and produces natural gas on behalf of Questar Gas; and Questar Pipeline operates interstate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities in the Western U.S. The deal is an attempt by Dominion to diversify out of the northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. There are lots of good reasons for Dominion to buy Questar. We wonder if Dominion has any plans to flow cheap northeast gas West. That’s why we keep an eye on this story. Since our initial story, the Dominion/Questar deal has progressed. The Federal Trade Commission didn’t object to the deal–which means they approve of it; and Dominion has filed paperwork in Utah and Wyoming to combine the two businesses…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Processing Plants

Cove Point LNG Export Plant Now 24% Complete, Rapid Progress
March 4, 2016March 4, 2016

Dominion is making excellent progress with the Cove Point LNG (liquefied natural gas) export facility. Despite the fact that shrill anti-fossil fuelers are trying to stop the facility in court (see Radical Enviro Groups Continue Lawsuit Against Cove Point LNG), fully 24% of the new plant is already done. And Dominion continues to make progress. Here’s an update on the LNG plant the antis couldn’t stop…
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CNG/LNG | Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Maryland | Statewide MD

Radical Enviro Groups Continue Lawsuit Against Cove Point LNG
February 17, 2016February 17, 2016

Big Green groups, including the nutty Sierra Club and left-leaning Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the odious Earthjustice continue to pump money and lawyers and time into an effort to stop progress on Dominion’s construction of an LNG (liquefied natural gas) export facility in Cove Point, Maryland. Last June Earthjustice and its co-conspirators filed a lawsuit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission claiming that FERC was wrong to issue a permit for the facility (see Earthjustice Asks Court to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG). The lawsuit has progressed to the point that oral arguments will be made on April 19 before the Court of Appeals. An update on the shenanigans from fossil fuel haters ahead of this important court date…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Randolph County | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Proposes New Route to Save the Salamanders
February 16, 2016February 16, 2016

MDN told you last month that the US Forest Service, drunk on its own power, vetoed a path through a few miles of national forests for the $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (see US Forest Service Blocks Atlantic Coast Pipeline in National Forests). Using cow nob salamanders and red spruce as their excuse, USFS said “nyet comrade” to Dominion in their quest to build a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina. Dominion had requested a special permit to cross teeny tiny sections of the Monongahela and George Washington national forests in West Virginia and Virginia. So now what? Last week Dominion announced an alternate route for the pipeline (see map below) that avoids most of (not all of) the forests–adding another 30 miles to the 564-mile pipeline, and disrupting 249 landowners in Pocahontas and Randolph counties who will now need to sign easements to allow the pipeline across their land. All to avoid a few miles of forestland. Here’s the latest on the mighty Atlantic Coast Pipeline, re-routed because of a salamander…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | M&A

Dominion Resources Makes Play for Western NatGas Company Questar
February 2, 2016February 2, 2016

In what is being called a “cheap” deal, midstream and local utility Dominion, with a major presence in the Marcellus/Utica region, has floated a takover offer to Questar Corporation, offering to buy the company for $4.4 billion. Questar is a Rockies-based integrated natural gas company operating through three principal subsidiaries: Questar Gas provides retail natural gas distribution in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho; Wexpro develops and produces natural gas on behalf of Questar Gas; and Questar Pipeline operates interstate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities in the Western U.S. The deal is an attempt by Dominion to diversify out of the northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. It’s also a deal to bump up Dominion’s natural gas footprint, lessening the company’s reliance on electric power generation which is not growing. The reason this is MDN news is because…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Statewide WV | Virginia | West Virginia

US Forest Service Blocks Atlantic Coast Pipeline in National Forests
January 25, 2016January 25, 2016

Cow Knob Salamander

In the end it was the cow nobs and red spruce that have slowed down Dominion’s $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina. Specifically, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has refused to grant Dominion a special permit to cross teeny tiny sections of the Monongahela and George Washington national forests in West Virginia and Virginia. Why? Because of concerns about cow knob salamanders, northern flying squirrels and red spruce trees. Just last November MDN told you that Dominion and ACP were bending backwards, forwards and sideways to avoid running through cow nob salamander territory (see Dominion Files Pipeline Route Change to Avoid Salamanders, Swamp). Apparently the USFS doesn’t think Dominion’s plan is good enough. It’s now back to the drawing board to see where, in those regions, ACP can safely be run to avoid radical environmentalist demands. Of course the answer is “no where” as they are always unreasonable about these things. There is no “how can we work this out to your satisfaction” when it comes to nut cases. The antis simply demand, like petulant children, that you not do it at all. Which is just what the other side is now saying about ACP…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services

Dominion Warns Investors to Reject “Mini-Tender” by TRC Capital
January 15, 2016January 15, 2016

Dominion Resources, a midstream (pipeline) company and energy producer with major operations in the Appalachian region is warning investors about a parasitic play for their stocks from a company called TRC Capital Corporation. TRC is floating what’s called a “mini-tender” in which they attempt to buy up to 5% of a company’s stock. Why only up to 5%? Because over 5% and certain Securities and Exchange Commission rules kick in to protect/alert investors. Under that limit and there’s far more wiggle room. What does TRC plan to do with the Dominion stock they buy? Their modus operandi is to purchase stock for a price below market value now, or what they think will be the market value in the near future. They lock it up, wait until the price rises, and then sell it at the higher price. They prey on people’s fears that stock prices will eminently crash, profiting from those fears, or they leverage investor ignorance. Sleazy? You bet. Illegal? Unfortunately, no. That’s why Dominion is warning shareholders to “just say no” to TRC’s below-market offer…
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