The railroad town of Selkirk, N.Y., which will mark the end of the propane pipeline when repairs are complete. (image: PanAm505 via flickr.com)
Repairs to a crucial propane pipeline in upstate New York are complete, and pending approval from a regulatory agency, the propane will be flowing again soon, reports WETM, an NBC affiliate in Elmira. That could end five months of supply disruptions to the Northeast.
At the end of August, a leak was found in the Teppco propane pipeline, a crucial supply artery for the Northeast. The break shut down 165 miles of pipe and three terminal points east of the town of Watkins Glen. That meant longer drives for dealers trying to meet the winter demand, and higher prices for customers. The average retail price for a gallon of New York propane has risen 59 cents, or 22-percent, since the heating season began, according to federal data.
Progress on the pipeline went slower than expected, and completion dates were bumped back several times. A terminal at the town of Harford Mills was the first to go back online at mid-month. Now with pressure testing on the pipe finished, and nothing more than the government’s stamp on the work, the return of the Teppco pipeline appears imminent.