TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Williams (NYSE: WMB) received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move forward with its Leidy South Project that will create 582,400 Dth/d of additional pipeline capacity and provide enough natural gas to serve the equivalent of more than 2.5 million homes and further enable power plants to convert from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas. The project will connect abundant supplies of natural gas produced by Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. and Seneca Resources Company, LLC in the Marcellus and Utica regions of Pennsylvania with demand markets along the Atlantic Seaboard by the 2021-2022 winter heating season. UGI Utilities Inc. is a local distribution company that will be using its capacity to directly serve its customers in northeast Pennsylvania.

As the United States switches to clean power to energize our electric grids, Williams is excited and proud to be the backbone that connects the best supplies of dry gas with our countrys largest demand centers, said Alan Armstrong, president and chief executive officer of Williams. This project represents one of many opportunities to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions with right here, right now available solutions as coal-fired electric generation plants are replaced with natural gas units to reliably balance the intermittency of new renewable resources. In fact, there remain more than 80 coal plants in the states Transco serves that can potentially be displaced by clean, efficient and affordable natural gas.

By maximizing the use of the existing Transco transmission corridor and expanding existing facilities in Pennsylvania, the Leidy South Project will substantially reduce the amount of new infrastructure and land use required to meet these needs minimizing community and environmental impact and allowing residential, commercial and power generation customers to efficiently access natural gas supplies on the Transco system. In addition, the construction of the projects two greenfield compressor facilities is estimated to generate $100 million in economic activity within Pennsylvania, supporting 680 jobs with estimated payroll of $28 million, and produce $1.3 million in state tax revenue, according to third-party researchers.

With the growing urgency to transition to a low-carbon fuel future, Williams and its natural gas-focused strategy provide a practical and immediate path to reduce industry emissions, support the viability of renewables and grow a clean energy economy. Natural gas is a flexible, lower-emission fuel compared to other hydrocarbons such as coal or heating oil. And, because the U.S. has an abundant supply of natural gas, using this local, cleaner resource has significantly reduced U.S. emissions. As one of the nations largest gatherers, processors and transporters of natural gas, Williams plays a critical role in bringing this clean and affordable resource to electric generation, industry and homes, resulting in cleaner air.

Transco is the nations largest-volume interstate natural gas pipeline system. It delivers natural gas to customers through its approximately 10,000-mile pipeline network whose mainline extends nearly 1,800 miles between South Texas and New York City. The system is a major provider of cost-effective natural gas services that reach U.S. markets in 12 Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard states, including major metropolitan areas in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

About Williams

Williams (NYSE: WMB) is committed to being the leader in providing infrastructure that safely delivers natural gas products to reliably fuel the clean energy economy. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Williams is an industry-leading, investment grade C-Corp with operations across the natural gas value chain including gathering, processing, interstate transportation and storage of natural gas and natural gas liquids. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins, Williams connects the best supplies with the growing demand for clean energy. Williams owns and operates more than 30,000 miles of pipelines system wide including Transco, the nations largest volume and fastest growing pipeline and handles approximately 30 percent of the natural gas in the United States that is used every day for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use. http://www.williams.com

Portions of this document may constitute forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the companys annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Williams Receives Approval for Clean Energy Project To Serve Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. - Business Wire