GREENFIELD — Berkshire Gas Co. said Wednesday that its moratorium on new natural gas service hook-ups will remain in place, as Kinder Morgan announced the suspension of a major gas pipeline project that was expected to pass through Franklin County.
Kinder Morgan on Wednesday suspended “all work and expenditures” on the Northeast Energy Direct project, which would have carried 1.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas from Wright, N.Y., to Dracut each day.
Though Berkshire Gas had contracted capacity on the pipeline, Kinder Morgan cited an inability to line up enough other customers as the primary factor in its decision.
Michael West, vice president of Avangrid, Berkshire Gas’ parent company, said the natural gas capacity constraints that triggered the moratorium in the fall of 2014 remain, and the company is unable to lift the restrictions.
Berkshire Gas serves Greenfield, Montague, Deerfield, Sunderland and Whately in Franklin County as well as Amherst, Hadley and Hatfield in Hampshire County.
“We certainly will continue to try to work hard for customers to find ways to offer more gas. We have the demand, we just don’t have the capacity to provide it,” West told The Recorder. “The impact is big, and we are certainly disappointed to hear about the suspension. Ostensibly, they did not see a path forward in getting this approved. It would have allowed for more gas, and reduced the capacity constraints for the region, and that won’t happen now.”
West said it’s unclear what, if any, other alternative solutions to the problem exist, but it will be important to find a permanent solution.
“Hopefully we’ll find a solution soon, but this (project) was certainly an important move for the company and the region, and the suspension will have ripple effects.”
In addition to contracting for fuel, Berkshire Gas’ parent company has been reported to have purchased a 2.5 percent stake in the pipeline.