Cost of controversial US pipeline project rises to US$7.2 billion

Lengths of pipe wait to be laid in the ground along the under-construction Mountain Valley Pipeline near Elliston, Virginia, U.S. September 29, 2019. Picture taken September 29, 2019. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller

The cost of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, a natural gas pipeline system that spans approximately 303 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia in the US, has risen from US$6.6 billion to US$7.2 billion. Its completion date has also been pushed back.

The MVP project has faced numerous regulatory hurdles and lawsuits since it was first announced in 2014. Construction on the project began in 2018.

It is being built by a joint venture composed of Equitrans Midstream, NextEra Energy, Consolidated Edison, AltaGas and RGC Resources. Its opening has been delayed from this year to the first quarter of 2024.

Part of the reason for the delay and cost increase is said to be difficulties finding workers with the required experience willing to work on a project that has been halted previously due to legal challenges.