Gabbs Lateral FNAS Relocation Project Overview
Project Overview
Great Basin Gas Transmission Company (Great Basin), a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Gas Corporation, is requesting authorization, pursuant to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity under Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, as amended, for the relocation of its existing Gabbs Lateral through the installation of approximately 32.6 miles of 6-inch (13.8 miles) and 8-inch (18.8 miles) diameter steel pipeline and the abandonment in-place or by removal of approximately 20.85 miles of its existing Gabbs Lateral, comprising 6-inch (18.50 miles) and 8-inch (2.35 miles) diameter steel pipe, and the installation and abandonment of aboveground appurtenances. (hereinafter referred to as either the “Gabbs Lateral Fallon Naval Air Station (FNAS) Relocation,” or “Project”) in Mineral and Nye Counties, Nevada. This modification to the Gabbs Lateral is in response to the U.S. Navy’s authorized Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) Modernization Project (FRTC Modernization Project) for expansion of its existing training range.
Upon receiving all required Project approvals and the Notice to Proceed (NTP) from FERC, Great Basin anticipates the project activities to be completed and in-service by the fourth quarter of 2027.
Additionally, Great Basin plans to abandon existing 6-inch and 8-inch pipelines between the two end points. The new pipeline installation will occur in mostly undisturbed areas on Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) lands, while the abandonment will occur in areas that were previously disturbed during the original pipeline installation in 1964 and subsequent maintenance work.
The new facilities will not increase capacity on Great Basin’s transmission system.
Construction Schedule
Great Basin anticipates that the Project facilities will be constructed between March 1, 2027, and October 1, 2027, to comply with the needs of the U.S. Navy’s authorized FRTC Modernization Project requirements.
The timing of construction will be consistent with recommendations and conditions, if any, made by agencies based on seasonal restrictions for species
The construction contractor will determine the final schedule for the Project. The Proposed Project construction and abandonment sequence is to install the replacement lateral first, and when that is functional, the abandonment section can begin, this is to ensure continuous service to Great Basins customers.
It is assumed that the abandonment activities will begin work in October 2027 following the gassing up of the relocated Gabbs Lateral line to ensure that all customers are able to receive continuous service.
Proposed Current Route
The Project will start approximately 26 miles east of Schurz, NV, and 20 miles south of the intersection of SR31/SR 839 and US 50, and will end about 3.5 miles west-northwest of Gabbs, NV.
Great Basin will not need to install any new compressors nor make modifications to existing compressors as part of this Project.
Other potential alignments would add length to the pipeline or would place it in more environmentally sensitive areas.