Large natural gas pipeline expansion through Hampton Roads now in use
A large natural gas project that crosses Chesapeake and Suffolk is officially online, the project’s developers announced last week.
The Virginia Reliability Project, which was initially proposed in 2021, replaced and doubled the size of two sections of the Columbia Gas pipeline between Chesapeake and Petersburg. In total, almost 49 miles of pipeline is replaced by the expansion. Construction began in July 2024, and developer TC Energy announced on Nov. 24 that the pipeline is commercially in service.
Now completed, the project is aimed to expand the at-capacity natural gas supply in Hampton Roads and meet increased customer demand. Initially laid in the 1950s, pipes were expanded from 12 inches in diameter to 24 inches.
The company said the project also provided a large one-time boost to the regional economy. According to an economic analysis from TC Energy, the construction phase of the project supported 3,635 jobs, more than $500 million in economic output, $7.7 million in local tax revenue and $8.6 million in state tax revenue.
“This is a critical infrastructure project that will benefit and serve many of my constituents across southeast Virginia,” said Sen. Emily Jordan (R-Suffolk), whose District 17 includes Suffolk, Isle of Wight County and part of Portsmouth. “Energy infrastructure is foundational to Virginia’s pro-business economy and this project completion is a testament to just that.”
During the approval process to begin construction, environmental groups opposed the project. They said the pipeline would cut through several miles of the Great Dismal Swamp and run by several schools. Additionally, they expressed environmental justice concerns about the low-income communities along the route. Others said TC Energy didn’t do enough community outreach. In a response, a company spokesperson said at the time the company canvassed more than 3,500 residences and over 600 businesses in communities along the project route. The company also cited a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency that applauded the company’s effort to engage with the communities involved.
In 2022, a Huffington Post investigation found emails that appeared to show the company provided some Virginia public officials with draft letters of support for the project.
Opponents also said the pipeline expansion doesn’t square with Virginia’s long-term climate goal of moving away from fossil fuels. Former Gov. Ralph Northam set a goal for the state to produce all of its energy from renewable sources by 2050.
As of 2023, the latest data available, one in three homes in Virginia used natural gas for heating, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Residences accounted for 12% of gas consumption in the commonwealth. Nearly 60% of Virginia’s natural gas consumption went to producing electricity as of 2023. Natural gas is responsible for more than half of the electricity generated in Virginia, according to the administration.
Forecasts anticipate a steep rise in the need for more energy over the next decades. Energy use in Virginia is expected to increase by 5% every year on average and projected to double by 2045. This year, power provider Dominion Energy reported the state broke three records for high energy use, mainly during the low temperatures and winter storms in January. A 2024 report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found the majority of the long-term increase in demand is likely driven by data centers. New solar facilities, wind generation, natural gas plants and increased transmission capacity would all be required to meet unconstrained demand, the report found.
“This project is about making sure families stay warm, businesses stay powered and our economy thrives,” said Shannon Pierce, the president and CEO of Virginia Natural Gas. “This is a long-term investment in the resilience and prosperity of Southeast Virginia.”
Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com