Enbridge Wins Key Water Permit for T-15 Pipeline Linking to MVP Southgate

North Carolina approved a key water permit for Enbridge’s proposed T-15 pipeline, which would link to Duke Energy’s planned gas plants.

By Mary Holcomb, Digital Editor

(P&GJ) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s (NCDEQ) Division of Water Resources has approved a Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification for Enbridge Gas North Carolina’s T-15 Reliability Project.

The approval followed a review process that included two public hearings in June and a public comment period. NCDEQ said the certification ensures the project meets state water quality standards by minimizing impacts on streams, wetlands, and other water resources.

The T-15 pipeline, proposed by Public Service Company of North Carolina (PSNC), a subsidiary of Enbridge, would connect with the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) Southgate extension. Once operational, it would deliver natural gas to new Duke Energy power plants planned near Hyco Lake in Person County.

The pipeline will span more than 100 water crossings. As part of the permit conditions, Enbridge must implement a private well identification and testing plan.

Environmental Concerns

Environmental groups sharply criticized the decision. The Sierra Club said the line would supply gas to Duke-owned plants located near communities already impacted by decades of coal ash contamination and air pollution.

“The T15 pipeline will lock North Carolina into decades of extracting, transporting, and burning natural gas while exposing working families to massively volatile fuel prices,” said Olive Burress, Sierra Club North Carolina organizer. “Natural gas, which is predominantly methane, is a potent greenhouse gas that will make the already drastic impacts of climate change even worse for North Carolinians.”

The group also raised concerns about safety, noting that part of the pipeline’s route passes near an elementary school.