September 2025 Vol. 80 No. 9
Newsline
Pipeline debates, safety risks and megaprojects dominate latest underground infrastructure news
New York regulators revive controversial pipeline debate
New York’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved National Grid’s long-term natural gas plan, reopening debate over the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline beneath New York Harbor, according to an Albany-based CBS News affiliate. The commission said the plan is necessary to safeguard gas reliability for millions of downstate customers during peak winter demand.
The PSC’s decision does not authorize construction, but it acknowledges that additional infrastructure – including NESE – may be required to prevent shortages. National Grid maintains the project is critical for reliability, while opponents argue it undermines New York’s legally mandated climate targets and poses environmental risks.
Environmental groups emphasized that state law requires a 40 percent cut in emissions by 2030, and expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would make that goal unattainable, CBS News reported. They also cited previous denials of the pipeline in 2018, 2019 and 2020 over water quality and cost concerns.
The pipeline remains divisive among state leaders. Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado labeled the project “unnecessary,” while Gov. Kathy Hochul has left the door open, saying any permit application will be reviewed impartially by the Department of Environmental Conservation, which holds final approval authority.
The PSC’s vote underscores the growing tension between infrastructure reliability and climate policy, with the NESE pipeline once again at the center of New York’s energy debate.
Musk’s Boring Company halts Vegas Loop tunneling after worker injury
A construction worker was hospitalized after being injured inside a Boring Company tunnel near the Las Vegas Strip, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
Clark County Fire Department officials said the incident occurred around 10 p.m. on Sept. 10 in the 3900 block of Paradise Road, north of Flamingo Road. The employee reportedly sustained a crushing injury while working underground.
Fire crews used a stokes basket and an on-site crane to lift the worker from the tunnel before transporting him to Sunrise Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The cause of the accident has not been released, News 3 Las Vegas reported.
The Boring Company is currently expanding the Vegas Loop, an underground transit system intended to connect resorts and attractions across the Strip and downtown. The company has faced previous safety scrutiny, including eight serious violations cited by Nevada OSHA last year.
In a statement, The Boring Company said: “The safety and well-being of our employees and contractors are always the Boring Company’s top priority. Last night, a construction-related injury occurred, and the employee is in stable condition and doing well. We are actively investigating the incident and extend our gratitude to the Clark County Fire Department, with whom we work closely, for their swift response.”
Transco, MVP clash over competing pipeline projects in North Carolina
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) and Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) are locked in a high-stakes contest for market share in North Carolina, according to a Sept. 11 report.
The dispute centers on MVP’s proposed Southgate project and Transco’s Southeast Supply Enhancement (SESE) expansion. Both projects follow nearly identical routes, often sharing easements and crossing paths, raising questions about redundancy and competition.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sparked the showdown in February by requesting documentation from Transco on overlaps with Southgate. MVP had amended its Southgate application just days earlier, arguing that SESE “would not meet the purpose and need” of providing supply diversity and risk mitigation for the region.
Transco countered in March, accusing MVP of “mischaracterization” in its filings. By May, Transco escalated by suggesting SESE could absorb Southgate’s volumes, preserving Transco’s dominant role in serving the state.
MVP fired back with support from key shippers Duke Utilities and Public Service Company of North Carolina (PSNC). PSNC criticized Transco for issuing operational flow orders “more than 200 days each year,” limiting flexibility and forcing emergency actions. Duke also emphasized the value of supply diversification through a second pipeline source.
FERC continues to weigh both projects, with an environmental assessment for Southgate expected in October and a final decision anticipated by Jan. 1, 2026. The outcome could reshape North Carolina’s gas market, either reinforcing Transco’s monopoly or opening the door to competition from MVP.
Michigan lawmakers back Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project
A group of Northern Michigan state representatives reaffirmed their support for Enbridge’s plan to build a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house the Line 5 pipeline.
State Reps. Parker Fairbairn, Karl Bohnak, Cam Cavitt, Greg Markkanen, and Dave Prestin issued a joint statement saying the project is essential for Michigan’s economy and energy security. The lawmakers emphasized the tunnel would bury the pipeline deep below the lakebed, eliminating the risk of an anchor strike spill.
“Completion of the Great Lakes Tunnel Project means the Line 5 pipeline would be buried deep beneath the Straits of Mackinac, removing any chance of an oil spill caused by an anchor strike,” the statement said. “This pipeline has been safely operational for nearly 80 years. However, even the soundest operations can be improved. That’s why Enbridge is proactively trying to make this investment to upgrade the infrastructure and protect the Great Lakes. We agree – and that’s why it is so frustrating to see activists, inside and outside of state government, oppose the project with emotional and political rhetoric, rather than practical and scientific arguments that support its construction.”
They urged state and federal regulators to complete the lengthy review process.
$337 million granted to N.C. to repair Helene infrastructure damage
Nearly a year after Category 4 Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding throughout North Carolina, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided a total of $337 million to assist in recovery efforts, WITN News reported. Of this amount, $276 million is designated for bolstering water infrastructure resilience, while $61 million is allocated through the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act specifically for recovery related to Hurricane Helene.
From the $276 million earmarked for infrastructure improvements, more than $253 million will support North Carolina's Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund. This funding will facilitate low-interest loans aimed at planning, designing, and constructing eligible projects for treatment works improvements.
The new Decentralized Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund received $22 million to enhance the resilience of septic systems, as noted by the agency. This funding follows the earlier designation of $409 million in July for improvements to drinking water infrastructure.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26, 2024, before impacting North Carolina as a tropical storm the following day, resulting in over 100 fatalities in the state.
339-mile Quebec-to-NYC hydropower line enters last stage of construction
The Champlain Hudson Power Express is entering the last stage of its Lake Champlain work, with completion expected this fall, Adirondack Explorer reported. The $6 billion project will deliver Canadian hydropower to New York City via a 339-mile transmission line.
The route begins at the U.S.–Canada border in Rouses Point, travels underwater down Lake Champlain to Putnam Station, then continues underground through Washington County, the Capital Region and Hudson Valley. From there, it reenters the Hudson River south of Catskill before joining the grid at a Queens substation, according to Adirondack Explorer.
A large cable-laying barge and supporting vessels have been progressing southward, operating around the clock for the second season of in-lake construction. Local officials described the illuminated flotilla near Westport as “like a city out there” during overnight operations, as reported by Adirondack Explorer.
Trans-Alaska pipeline decision expected by end of 2025
A significant decision regarding the construction of the 807-mile trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline is anticipated by year-end. Rex Cannon, co-president of 8 Star Alaska, announced at the Alaska Oil and Gas Association conference that the company plans to finalize gas sales agreements and make a construction investment decision by the end of Q4 2025. If successful, this project could resolve over 50 years of delays involving various developers.
Earlier this year, international energy company Glenfarne acquired a 75 percent stake in the proposed AKLNG project from the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., which retains a 25 percent interest. The pipeline is set to be developed in two phases.
The initial phase will focus on constructing the pipeline from the North Slope to Cook Inlet, connecting with the Anchorage gas distribution system. Set for completion around 2029, this phase aims to address a gas shortage for in-state consumers. Preliminary estimates suggest this phase could cost at least $11 billion.
Notably, this phase can proceed even without exporting gas internationally. The second phase will include a gas treatment plant on the North Slope and an export terminal on the Kenai Peninsula, significantly increasing costs. Cannon emphasized the need for a gas import facility at the future export terminal site due to the pressing gas shortages in southcentral Alaska. This import facility is one of three planned for Cook Inlet and may eventually be converted to assist with exports.
Musk-backed $760 million Houston flood tunnels draw support, doubts
Elon Musk’s Boring Co. has been lobbying to take on part of Houston’s long-discussed flood tunnel system, a multibillion-dollar plan designed to protect the region from future disasters like Hurricane Harvey.
Working closely with U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, Musk’s team pitched two 12-foot tunnels as a cheaper alternative to Harris County’s original concept of massive 30- to 40-foot-wide pipelines that could divert stormwater out to the Gulf. Hunt’s office has said the proposal would cost about $760 million, with The Boring Co. receiving 15 percent up front from local and state sources.
County commissioners recently voted to study a pilot program that mirrors aspects of Boring’s plan, though no contracts have been awarded. Engineers warn smaller tunnels might not move enough water to make a meaningful dent in Houston’s chronic flooding, raising questions about whether cost savings outweigh effectiveness.
Critics note that The Boring Co. has built transit tunnels in places like Las Vegas but has little experience with large-scale flood projects. One engineer told reporters that it would take more than 10 small tunnels to equal the flow of a single 40-foot pipe.
Two new gas transmission pipelines advance in Northeast, Permian Basin
Enbridge Inc. has approved two new natural gas transmission projects aimed at strengthening supply to the U.S. Northeast and supporting LNG exports along the Gulf Coast.
The company reached a final investment decision on the Algonquin Reliable Affordable Resilient Enhancement (AGT Enhancement) project, which will add 75 million cubic feet per day of incremental capacity to the Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline.
The upgrades, expected to be completed in 2029, are designed to enhance winter reliability and reduce price volatility for local distribution company customers in the region. Enbridge plans to invest $300 million in the system expansion, mostly along existing rights-of-way, pending regulatory approvals.
Enbridge also confirmed a final investment decision on the Eiger Express Pipeline (Eiger) through its Matterhorn joint venture. The project will move up to 2.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas via 450 miles of 42-inch pipe from the Permian Basin in West Texas to the Katy, Texas, area, a key hub connected to Gulf Coast LNG export terminals and storage facilities. Eiger is scheduled for completion in 2028 and is backed by long-term contracts with primarily investment-grade shippers.
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