Proposed Pipe Under Miss. River to Flow M-U Gas to Power Plant
Enable Mississippi River Transmission (MRT), a subsidiary of Energy Transfer, has applied for federal approval to build a 9.5-mile natural gas pipeline under the Mississippi River (cue the crazies who will predict an environmental holocaust). The project aims to supply natural gas to Ameren’s upcoming Big Hollow Energy Center in Jefferson County, Missouri, which will replace the retired Rush Island coal plant. We told you about Big Hollow last week (see Missouri to Get Gas-Peaker Coupled with Battery Backup Fed by M-U). The facility will feature gas-fired generation alongside battery storage. And yes, Marcellus/Utica gas will likely flow through this 9.5-mile pipeline to the Big Hollow Energy Center. Another new customer for our molecules. Read More “Proposed Pipe Under Miss. River to Flow M-U Gas to Power Plant”
TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) is a major North American energy infrastructure company based in Calgary, Alberta, specializing in natural gas pipelines, power generation, and storage. The company transports over 30% of the daily natural gas consumed in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. The company owns major assets in the Marcellus/Utica, including Columbia Gas Transmission and the Millennium Pipeline. The company issued its fourth quarter and full-year update for 2025 last week. Based on the company’s earnings call and associated reports, there is a significant focus on leveraging existing infrastructure to move M-U gas to growing demand centers, particularly in the U.S. Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. 
Pipeline giant Williams issued its fourth quarter and full-year 2025 update last week. The company forecasts 2026 profits exceeding analysts’ expectations, driven by surging natural gas demand from AI data centers and crypto mining. Williams is aggressively expanding its footprint, with 7.1 Bcf/d of pipeline projects currently underway and new gas-fired power plants such as the $1.3 billion “Socrates the Younger” project. The company plans to invest up to $6.7 billion in 2026 capital spending to capitalize on the sustained, long-term need for gas infrastructure and power growth. 
About six years ago, Dominion Energy announced the River Neck to Kingsburg project, a short 15-mile 16-inch natural gas transmission main line that would run in an existing right-of-way alongside another pipeline along Old River Road near Pamplico in Florence County, SC. It was supposed to be built and flowing in 2022. Dominion still hasn’t built a square inch, thanks to the lawfare launched by the anti-fossil fuelers of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. Earlier this month, we told you that the South Carolina Supreme Court finally cleared the last legal roadblocks (see 
Despite record-breaking domestic production, U.S. manufacturers increasingly face gas shortages and price spikes during extreme weather. While the shale boom promised cheap energy, insufficient pipeline infrastructure prioritizes residential heating, power plants, and long-term export contracts over industrial users. This disparity forced companies like Evonik and International Paper to halt production or pay exorbitant spot prices during recent winter storms. Consequently, manufacturing trade groups are urging federal regulators to reform pipeline contracting and prioritize domestic supply over exports. 
We’ve recently begun actively tracking flow restrictions on pipelines that carry Marcellus/Utica molecules. Current pipeline flow data for February 2026 show that the Marcellus/Utica (M-U) region is experiencing significant, albeit weather-driven, volatility. While the basin remains a production powerhouse, a combination of recent Arctic weather and localized maintenance has triggered several flow restrictions, including a restriction along the Tennessee Gas Pipeline. 
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking public comment on an Individual Stormwater Permit for a 5.8-mile natural gas pipeline in Indiana County. Serving the proposed Homer City Generation LP 4.5 GW power plant and data center, the 30-inch pipeline will traverse Black Lick, Burrell, and Center Townships, involving several stream and wetland crossings. Interested parties have 30 days to submit comments to the DEP’s Northwest Regional Office. While no public hearing is currently scheduled, one may be requested. Additional project details and permit applications are available for review through the DEP’s regional office and website. 
Residents in Brookfield, Connecticut, are leading a “bipartisan” campaign to block a $272 million expansion of the Iroquois Gas Transmission System, despite national efforts to boost fossil fuel infrastructure. The project would add two compressors to an existing station, primarily increasing gas flow to New York markets. Local officials and residents, including some Republicans, cite health and safety risks due to the facility’s proximity to homes and Whisconier Middle School. Although the project has tentative state support, opponents argue that environmental impacts and explosion risks outweigh regional energy benefits, particularly since Brookfield receives no direct supply increase from the expansion. 
Two pipeline kingpins are engaged in a deathmatch with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to get their competing pipeline projects approved. One is Williams’ Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SESE), the other is EQT’s MVP Southgate project (see 
Pipeline giant Williams is going on a PR offensive to pressure New York State to approve the 125-mile (99 miles in NY) Constitution Pipeline from the prolific gas fields of Susquehanna County, PA, into and through New York State, to Schoharie County, where it would connect with two other interstate pipeline systems to flow molecules to New York City and New England. On its blog site, Williams recently published a post titled “Winter storms underscore why infrastructure is needed,” with the subtitle “Severe cold underscores need for Constitution Pipeline.” 
Last September, MDN told you that two major Kinder Morgan pipeline projects that will flow Marcellus/Utica molecules in the southeastern U.S. took a big step forward at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with FERC actively working on an environmental impact statement (EIS) for both projects (see 
About six years ago, Dominion Energy announced the River Neck to Kingsburg project, a short 15-mile 16-inch natural gas transmission main line that would run in an existing right-of-way alongside another pipeline along Old River Road near Pamplico in Florence County, SC. It was supposed to be built and flowing in 2022. Dominion still hasn’t built a square inch, thanks to the lawfare launched by the anti-fossil fuelers of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (see