With the “on again off again” nature of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Status, there was bound to be collateral damage. In our August 2022 commentary “Can Mountain Valley Pipeline Reduce Inflation?” we discussed the background of the project and the benefits it would provide to Virginia customers. These benefits look to be on the horizon after the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a challenge to federal approvals on August 11th, 2023. Equitrans Midstream projects an in-service date of January 2024 for the oft-maligned pipeline.
For collateral damage from Mountain Valley Pipeline, look no further than the MVP Southgate project, a proposed southward extension of the pipeline. Originally intended to ship cheap Marcellus natural gas even further south, the 73.7 mile MVP Southgate project would connect customers in Southern Virginia and North Central Carolina before finally reaching Dominion Energy North Carolina customers.
These pipelines serve regions historically known for coal production and consumption. In fact, numerous power plants in the region still run on coal. When comparing Coal and Natural Gas’s Carbon Dioxide intensity we find that emissions are reduced by 50% when natural gas is utilized. By facilitating delivery of a reliable fuel source that not only is cheaper, but reduces emissions as well, these pipelines benefit consumers and the environment at the same time.
