Dominion Energy and Duke Energy have canceled their Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, a natural gas pipeline that stretched hundreds of miles through West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina, citing “legal uncertainty.”
© Mark Wilson / Getty Images
The energy companies cited costs, delays and litigation in announcing the pipeline cancellation.
Despite a recent victory for the project in the United States Supreme Court, ongoing delays, litigation and expected cost increases threatened the project’s economic viability, the companies said Sunday.
The pipeline, initially announced in 2014, had faced intense criticism and legal challenges from environmental and other groups.
“This announcement reflects the growing legal uncertainty that outweighs the development of large-scale industrial and energy infrastructure in the United States,” Thomas Farrell, president of Dominion Energy, said in a statement. “Until these problems are resolved, the ability to meet the country’s energy needs will be significantly challenged.”
The companies had “worked diligently and invested billions of dollars to complete the project and deliver much-needed infrastructure to our customers and communities” in the years since it was announced, Farrell said.
The announcement brought cheers from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“This is tremendous news for West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina residents who deserve clean air, safe water and protection from climate change,” Gillian Giannetti, an attorney for the NRDC, said in a statement.
“As they give up this dirty dream, Dominion and Duke should now dedicate themselves to investing more in energy, wind and solar efficiency – this is how to provide jobs and a better future for all,” said Giannetti.
US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette blamed the “activists” for canceling the pipeline.
“The well-funded obstructionist environmental lobby has successfully killed the Atlantic coast pipeline, which would have reduced energy costs for consumers in North Carolina and Virginia by providing them with an affordable, abundant and reliable supply of natural gas from the region of the Appalachians. ” he said.
Keep reading
