Spire STL Pipeline receives Temporary Certificate from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Spire STL Pipeline received a 90-day temporary certificate from FERC, allowing continued operation ahead of winter. This certification aims to prevent energy supply disruptions in the St. Louis region, crucial for over 650,000 homes and businesses. The authorization follows a July application by Spire, responding to a June ruling that vacated prior approvals. The company expressed commitment to work with all stakeholders to ensure energy security during extreme weather. The FERC will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pipeline's certificate later.
- Temporary certificate allows Spire STL Pipeline to continue operations, ensuring energy supply for winter.
- Support from 51 letters submitted by 106 stakeholders highlights regional reliance on the STL Pipeline.
- Temporary certificate only valid for 90 days, creating uncertainty for long-term operations.
- Recent court ruling vacated previous FERC authorization, indicating regulatory challenges ahead.
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a temporary certificate authorizing the continued operation of Spire STL Pipeline for 90 days, a first step in keeping the STL Pipeline in service ahead of this winter.
"When we filed for a temporary emergency certificate on July 26, the goal was to address an emergency situation in the St. Louis region while allowing FERC more time to review the full certificate on remand. The Commission's order is a good first step in doing that," says Scott Smith, president of the Spire STL Pipeline. "This temporary certificate provides additional time to meaningfully engage with all stakeholders on the need for STL Pipeline without the threat of customers in Eastern Missouri losing the energy they rely on.
"Having said that, this authorization does not get us through what can be some of winter's coldest months," says Smith. "We stand ready to work with all parties, including FERC, to achieve continued energy security for the people of the St. Louis region. Keeping the STL Pipeline in service will ensure that Spire Missouri customers have the energy needed to heat homes and water, cook food and fuel industry."
This temporary certificate – issued under Section 7(c)(1)(B) of the Natural Gas Act – comes after a June 22 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DC Circuit) which vacated the STL Pipeline's FERC authorization and remanded it back to the agency for further review. On July 26, Spire filed an application for a temporary emergency certificate stating that if the STL Pipeline is removed from service, Spire Missouri customers in the St. Louis region would not have adequate gas supply and may see serious service disruptions during extreme cold weather periods.
Since submitting its application, 51 letters of support have been submitted to the FERC docket from a diverse cross section of 106 policymakers, businesses, industry and labor organizations and community and advocacy groups who recognize the need for the STL Pipeline this winter.
The temporary certificate issued today will remain in place for 90 days, while the Commission evaluates Spire's July 26 temporary certificate application. Importantly, authorization to continue operations will allow STL Pipeline to continue to perform land restoration along the project right-of-way. Separately, it is anticipated the FERC will undertake a more comprehensive analysis of the certificate on remand at a later date to address the issues raised in the DC Circuit ruling.
"The issuance of this temporary certificate provides the Commission with the requisite time to conduct a thorough review of our July 26 application and the additional information that we submitted on August 6, 2021. We will continue to fully cooperate with the FERC and other stakeholders to ensure they have the information needed to complete a comprehensive review of our application. In the long term, we are confident that when people have an opportunity to review the proven benefits of the STL Pipeline and current market conditions they will agree that there is a critical need for this infrastructure to ensure continued access to reliable, affordable energy for homes and businesses in the greater St. Louis region," says Smith.
For more information about the Spire STL Pipeline, visit spireenergy.com/spire-stl-pipeline.
About Spire STL Pipeline
Spire STL Pipeline is a 65-mile pipeline that interconnects with Rockies Express Pipeline, MoGas Pipeline, and Enable Missouri River Transmission Pipeline to bring a new supply of competitively priced and more-secure natural gas to the St. Louis region from the Rockies and the Appalachian Basin, the largest gas producing basin in America. Since becoming fully operational in 2019, the STL Pipeline has proved to be a critical source of energy supply for more than 650,000 homes and businesses in the greater St. Louis region.
About Spire
At Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR), we believe energy exists to help make people's lives better. It's a simple idea, but one that's at the heart of our company. Every day we serve 1.7 million homes and businesses making us the fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in the country. We help families and business owners fuel their daily lives through our gas utilities serving Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Our natural gas-related businesses include Spire Marketing, Spire STL Pipeline and Spire Storage. We are committed to transforming our business through growing organically, investing in infrastructure, and advancing through innovation. Learn more at SpireEnergy.com.
Media Contact:
Jason Merrill
314-365-7125
Jason.Merrill@SpireEnergy.com
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SOURCE Spire Inc.
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