1,000-Mile Pipeline Exit Plan by Hope Gas Alarms West Virginia Producers
(P&GJ) — Hope Gas is proposing to shut down over 1,000 miles of pipeline across more than 20 West Virginia counties—a move that could shift around 600 farm-tap customers to propane or electric service, according to WCHS-TV.
The state’s Public Service Commission has called the plan financially justified, but local gas producers in Ritchie County say the change could cut off access to key infrastructure for transporting gas from low-volume wells.
“We may not have anywhere to move our gas if the lines are abandoned and we don't have any clear view as to how these lines could go ahead and be repaired and maintained,” Ritchie County gas producer Gerald Hall told WCHS-TV. “At this point it's an abandonment and we'll have no place to move our gas."
Officials like County Commissioner Randall Riggs warn the plan could reduce severance tax revenue and impact property values tied to gas access.
A public meeting for Ritchie County residents is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Ellenboro Town Hall. State regulators will hold a formal hearing on the proposal in Charleston on May 14.
Hope Gas Secured Approval for New $177 Million Pipeline Last Year
In January 2024, the West Virginia Public Service Commission approved Hope Gas’ $177 million Morgantown Connector Project, a 30-mile natural gas pipeline designed to address supply shortfalls in the Morgantown area. The commission granted a certificate of public convenience and necessity, calling the project “reasonable and necessary” to meet future peak-day demand.
As part of the plan, Hope entered into a 15-year agreement with Columbia Gas to establish a new interconnection near Wadestown.
The pipeline is set to run from Wadestown through Morgantown and on to Osage, with construction including a new 16-inch line and an up-rating of 5.6 miles of existing pipe to handle increased pressure. Hope anticipated starting construction by November 1, 2023, to have the system ready for the 2025 winter season.
The route was designed to follow existing utility corridors, taking into account terrain, residential areas, and infrastructure tie-in points.
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