Key Takeaways:
- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has failed to fully consider the ramifications of an LNG plant expansion in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
- A 24/7 construction schedule and additional traffic caused by the Venture Global Plaquemines LNG expansion would adversely affect local residents
- FERC also should consider the changes in global demand for additional LNG export capacity, which have changed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
According to Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis article published on March 6, 2023, IEEFA is raising additional concerns about a proposed Venture Global Plaquemines LNG Amendment (Plaquemines LNG) expansion.
The IEEFA comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) notes omitted and outdated issues with the proposal, including an increased construction schedule, increased staffing levels, and the changing demand for additional LNG exports.
FERC should consider that assumptions about global demand for additional LNG export capacity were based on long-term relatively low gas prices in 2019. But global demand conditions have changed since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and a wave of new LNG facilities is expected to come online by 2026, causing a potential glut.
The comments, posted on the IEEFA website, also ask commissioners to account for additional workspace, traffic volumes, personnel, and the implementation of a 24-hours-per-day, seven-days-per-week construction schedule requested by Plaquemines LNG in their amended proposal.
FERC needs to conduct a more rigorous analysis of both the rationale and the potential effects of these additional staffing levels and include data that was not available at the time of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) authorization. FERC should also analyze the potential impact of the proposed project change on traffic fatality risks.
