Rising demand for natural gas and favorable policy support are driving major U.S. producers and pipeline operators to revisit plans for new infrastructure in Appalachia—the country’s most productive gas region. Industry leaders such as EQT, Williams Cos, Boardwalk Pipeline, and DT Midstream are evaluating new projects and expansions to strengthen pipeline capacity across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
“Enhancing pipeline capacity is essential to unlocking Appalachian supply,” said Amy Rogers, a spokesperson for EQT, the country’s largest natural gas producer.
In March, EQT CEO Toby Rice emphasized that growing demand from data centers and the retirement of coal plants in West Virginia make new pipelines critical. At a local meeting, Rice highlighted the urgency:
“We’ve got to get serious about this... These data center opportunities in our state are the reasons for us to get started and start building back and capturing some of the lost time that we had.”
Major Proposed Pipeline Projects from Appalachia
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Company
|
Pipeline
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States Served
|
Size (Bcfd)
|
In-Service Target
|
|
Williams – Transco
|
NE Supply Enhancement (NESE)
|
PA, NJ, NY
|
0.40
|
Nov 2027
|
|
Williams / Coterra
|
Constitution
|
PA, NY
|
0.65
|
Q3 2027
|
|
Williams – Transco
|
Southeast Supply Enhancement
|
VA, NC, SC, GA, AL
|
1.60
|
Q4 2027
|
|
EQT – Mountain Valley Pipeline
|
Southgate Expansion
|
VA, NC
|
0.55
|
mid 2028
|
|
DT Midstream / TC Energy
|
Millennium Expansion
|
NY
|
0.50
|
Nov 2029
|
|
Williams – Transco
|
Power Express
|
VA
|
0.95
|
Q3 2030
|
|
Boardwalk – Texas Gas Transmission
|
Borealis
|
OH
|
2.00
|
TBD
|
|
EQT
|
Mountain Valley Pipeline Expansion
|
WV, VA
|
0.50
|
TBD
|
A Persistent Supply Challenge
The Northeast faces chronic natural gas bottlenecks, raising energy costs. During the winter of 2024–2025, heating a home with oil cost roughly twice as much as with natural gas.
Over 80% of the 4.6 million U.S. homes relying on heating oil are located in the Northeast—making affordable gas access an urgent issue.
Reviving Cancelled Projects
Williams is reviving two major pipelines once scrapped due to tough permitting battles:
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Constitution Pipeline (0.65 Bcfd): Connecting Pennsylvania gas to New York.
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Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE, 0.40 Bcfd): Serving New Jersey and New York.
Both faced years-long fights over water permits before being canceled in 2020 and 2024, respectively.
High-Interest Expansions
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Millennium Pipeline plans an expansion to add up to 0.5 Bcfd by 2029, responding to strong shipper interest. Owned by DT Midstream and TC Energy, the pipeline already moves 2.0 Bcfd today.
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EQT and partners are advancing the Mountain Valley Pipeline – Southgate expansion to deliver 0.55 Bcfd into North Carolina. The original MVP, which finally entered service in 2024, cost $7.85 billion—over twice initial estimates.
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In Ohio, Boardwalk Pipelines’ proposed Borealis project could move 2.0 Bcfd from Ohio to Louisiana markets.
Industry Shifts and Strategic Proposals
Appalachia remains the largest gas-producing region in the U.S., delivering over 35 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)—about 31% of the nation's marketed production. But growth has slowed in recent years due to limited takeaway capacity, with production rising only modestly in 2024.
Despite this bottleneck, broader U.S. natural gas demand continues to climb. Consumption hit a record 90.5 Bcf/d last year, supported by new LNG export plants and expanding power generation needs. Looking ahead, analysts project Appalachian demand could rise by up to 5 Bcf/d by 2030 if new pipelines are built, according to East Daley Analytics.
Balancing Growth with Environmental Concerns
While the industry sees new pipeline capacity as essential for meeting rising demand and supporting economic development, these projects face opposition from environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. Concerns focus on land use, emissions, and changing patterns of local energy demand.
Nonetheless, industry executives argue that modern infrastructure is critical for reducing energy costs for consumers and ensuring reliable supply—especially as the U.S. maintains its position as the world’s top natural gas producer and LNG exporter.
