The WR Project, consisting of a series of ventures, is expected to represent a capital investment of about $800 million. Approximately four years after its inception, the project will go into service.
According to the idea, existing lines of the ANR Pipeline Company (ANR) will be expanded to serve markets in the Midwestern United States simultaneously reducing discharge by 30,000 metric tons CO2e per year - equivalent to removing more than 6,500 cars from the road each year.
TC Energy approved the project after ANR secured long-term transportation agreements to meet demand in the Midwest.
The expansion of ANR's natural gas system will provide local area distribution networks and electric producers with an additional natural gas capacity of up to 157,000 dekatherms per day in markets where significant coal-fired and vintage gas generation has recently been retired. Another part of the project will also include the replacement of existing natural gas-powered compressor units with electric motor compressors equipped with fuel switching capability.
In TC Energy's view, if the electric drive units are fully utilized, the electrification of horsepower for the project is expected to result in a 43% reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions at the source. According to the CEO and the president of the company, François Poirier, such an outcome is consistent with its business strategy to optimize an existing footprint while building more sustainable infrastructure and growing organically through an existing corridor.
The project is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, thanks to long-term transportation agreements secured by ANR.
It is anticipated that the company will convert even more natural gas compressors to electric motors in order to reduce the volume of emissions generated from its transmission and storage facilities in the coming years.
To ensure compliance with these objectives, TC Energy is currently working on additional renewable energy projects. A number of initiatives include pumped hydro storage, solar and wind alternatives, carbon transportation, and sequestration, as well as large-scale hydrogen production hubs.
A similar set of upgrades was sanctioned earlier this year by TC Energy for a Lower 48 pipeline in the Northeast. By 2025, the $700 million VR Project will partially electrify the Columbia Gas Transmission system. The project stretches accordingly from New York to the Midwest and Southeast.
The energy industry is undergoing unprecedented growth: due to both an increase in energy demand and a shift toward cleaner energy sources. This has created a significant number of investment opportunities and favorable market conditions to exploit. TC Energy is just one of those who lead this trend.
As such, the company has set itself a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 with an intermediate point of a 30% emission reduction from its operations by 2030. But whether it will be achieved in time remains to be seen.
If you also share such aspirations or simply want to stay atop of industry trends, do not shy away from contacting us - we have plenty of useful data for you to enjoy.
