LNG Infrastructure and Resiliency Project

Location: West Holyoke 

Holyoke Gas & Electric Department (“HG&E”), is proposing to modify its existing liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) storage facility in the City of Holyoke by constructing an additional tank (referred to as the “Project”).

  1. Agency: Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB)
  2. Company: Holyoke Gas &Electric (natural gas portfolio from Tennessee Gas Pipeline and LNG stored at HG&E’s West Holyoke LNG Facility) 
  3. Docket Number: EFSB22-07, Filed 12/17/2022.
    Public hearing held: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j0QGPvAd_Q
  4. Description
    1. Holyoke Gas & Electric is a Municipal Light and Power plant
    2. Project description: System enhancements at liquefied natural facility 
    3. During peak periods the West Holyoke LNG facility supplies 40% of HG&E’s natural gas
    4. Because of peak load increases (severe weather) the aim is to increase capacity at the LNG facility 
    5. Proposal: to install new 70,000-gallon LNG storage tank at existing LNG facility (from 4 tanks to 5) and add vaporization system 
    6. “Non-pipeline solution” 
    7. 2022 FOOTPRINT, HG&E’s newsletter estimates the project will take ~2 years 
  5. Current Project Timeline 
    1. September/October 2022 – Inform and engage Holyoke community and all stakeholders (ongoing throughout the project)
    2. December 2022 – EFSB Application Submittal
    3. December 2022 – January 2024 – EFSB Review Process (ongoing)
      1. EFSB Public Hearing held: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j0QGPvAd_Q
    4. January 2024 – June 2025 – Procurement, Construction, Commissioning
  6. Photographs
    1. Photos of proposed project site start on page 17 https://fileservice.eea.comacloud.net/FileService.Api/file/FileRoom/16187056
  7. Links
    1. HG&E’s project proposal: https://www.hged.com/news/LNG/default.aspx
    2. Newsletter (page 5): https://www.hged.com/news/Footprint-pgs-WEB.pdf
    3. For more info: email LNGP@hged.com or call 413-536-9300
    4. Petition before Siting Board: https://fileservice.eea.comacloud.net/FileService.Api/file/FileRoom/16187047
  8. News 
    1. Public Comment Hearing (March 2023)
    2. HG&E proposes tank project to east natural gas moratorium (Sept 2022)
      1. Utility will file project plan with Mass DPU to add tank 
    3. Holyoke Mayor first year report: energy (Nov 2022)
      1. HG&E’s natural gas moratorium for new services remains in place
      2. Garcia “expects the project to reduce city’s carbon footprint, offer reliable energy source, and time to implement a zero-emission future” 
      3. “this non-pipeline solution will support Holyoke’s energy transition goals and provide a bridge to net-zero emissions by 2050” 
    4. Holyoke City Council Meeting Oct 4, 2022 
      1. Mayor Garcia wrote letter expressing Support for HG&E proposed LNG Infrastructure & Resiliency Project 
    5. New gas hookups frozen in more Western Mass. communities 
      1. Describes initial moratorium from Jan 2019