Story by Panhandle News Network reporter Luke Wiggs
BERKELEY SPRINGs, W.Va. — In early September, TC energy and its partner Mountaineer gas officially opened their Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project pipeline to Morgan County. This was desperately needed to help commercial and residential expansion In Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
“We have been working with businesses in the eastern panhandle for over twenty five years.” Said Tom Westfall, Vice President, of gas supply and technical services for Mountaineer Gas Company. “Lately, we’ve had a lot of growth that we’ve had to put on hold until this pipeline was completed. Now we are looking forward to expanding our service there and serving new business and residential customers.” 
A 23-mile, 10-inch pipe connects the existing Martinsburg system to Berkeley Springs. And the new 3.4-mile Eastern Panhandle Expansion project begins at interconnections with two existing TC Energy pipelines in Fulton County, Pennsylvania. It extends through Washington County, Maryland, to a point of delivery to customers of Mountaineer Gas Company in Morgan County. It will provide more than 47 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, the previous capacity was around 20,000.
“We serve about 6,000 customers mostly in the Berkeley County area now.” Westfall said. “When we bought the system in 2000, there were only about 2,500 customers.”
Governor Patrick Morrisey has said he wants to make the state a “Global Energy Powerhouse” and has made natural gas a a part of his “50 by 50” generation plan
“We applaud Governor Morrisey in his effort to use natural gas to produce more energy for West Virginia and make West Virginia a battery for America.” Roman Stauffer, U.S. State Government and Community Relations Advisor (Appalachia Region) for TC Energy said. “We are seeing an increase in demand for natural gas and there’s also real momentum on energy policy reform at the federal and state level to help West Virginia meet the energy demands we are seeing.”
TC Energy moves 30% of natural gas across the entire continent of North America. They employ just over 700 people in Charleston, own 2,800 miles of pipeline in the mountain state, and have invested 1.6 billion in West Virginia since 2020.
“Moving natural gas by pipeline is probably one of the safest methods to move energy in America.” Stauffer said. “We feel very confident that this is a safe pipeline and people will get the benefits.”
