2018 Expansion Project Overview
Project Overview
Paiute Pipeline Company (Paiute) proposes to construct approximately 8.5 miles of natural gas pipeline on four sections of Paiute’s Carson and South Tahoe Laterals in or near Fernley, Minden, and Carson City, Nevada. The proposed interstate facilities associated with Paiute’s 2018 Expansion Project (“2018 Expansion Project” or “Project”) will reside in Douglas County, Lyon County, and Carson City, Nevada. Paiute has designed the proposed new facilities based on the responses to its Open Season. The new facilities will increase the capacity along the Carson and South Tahoe Laterals and will also facilitate the movement of existing capacity to a delivery point farther downstream.
Proposed Current Route
The new facilities will be constructed in four (4) separate segments located along 65 miles of Paiute’s Carson and South Tahoe Laterals.
The entire Project will be installed in or adjacent to Paiute’s existing right of way (ROW). Approximately 46 percent of the proposed route is in public right of way. The remainder of the route is on BLM land (10%) or private land (44%).
Paiute will not need to install any new compressors nor make modifications to existing compressors as part of this Project.
Based on Paiute’s current route assessment, other potential alignments would add length to the pipeline, and may place it in more environmentally sensitive areas.
Segment 1
Segment 1 is located entirely on private property on steep slopes on the west side of the Carson River Valley between Foothill Road (State Route [SR] 206) and Kingsbury Grade (SR 207) approximately 4 miles west of Minden, NV. Segment 1 will consist of approximately 0.41 miles of new 12-inch diameter steel pipe paralleling Paiute’s existing 8-inch diameter steel South Tahoe Lateral pipeline. The segment alignment will begin immediately downstream of Paiute’s existing South Tahoe Pressure Limiting Station (PLS) and proceed to the west. This area was previously disturbed during the installation of Paiute’s existing mainline in 1964.
Segment 2
Segment 2 is located in an existing pipeline ROW along Fairview Drive and South Edmonds Drive, and just south of East 5th Street (SR 513). Segment 2 is approximately 1.58 miles along Paiute’s existing Carson Lateral. The proposed Project work will entail replacing approximately 8,300 feet of Paiute’s existing 8-inch diameter steel Carson Lateral Loop pipeline with new 12-inch diameter steel pipe immediately adjacent to the existing 8-inch diameter Carson Lateral pipeline. The segment alignment will begin at Paiute’s existing Carson City Gate (CG) #5 located at the intersection of Fairview Drive and SR 513 and proceed southwest along Fairview Drive and South Edmonds Drive within existing public ROW. The proposed pipeline alignment crosses BLM-administered land (19%), State of Nevada land (39%), and private land (42%). This area was previously disturbed during the installation of Paiute’s two existing mainlines in 1964 and 1977.
Segment 3
Segment 3 is located along the north side of U.S. Highway (US) 50 between the Empire and Mound House areas, northeast of Carson City, Nevada. Segment 3 is approximately 2.34 miles along Paiute's existing Carson Lateral. The proposed Project work will entail replacing approximately 12,400 feet of Paiute’s existing 10-inch diameter Carson Lateral pipeline with new 20-inch diameter steel pipeline immediately adjacent to the existing 12-inch diameter Carson Lateral Loop pipeline, keeping as much as possible within the NDOT right-of-way. The segment alignment will begin at Paiute’s existing Carson Pressure Limiting Station (PLS) located at the intersection of Arrowhead Road and US 50 and proceed northeast along US 50 within an existing Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) ROW. The proposed pipeline alignment crosses BLM-administered land (38%) and private land (62%). This area was previously disturbed during the installation of Paiute’s two existing mainlines in 1963 and 1977. In subsequent years there have been upgrades and improvements along the pipelines, including improvement and expansion of the existing Carson PLS.
Segment 4
Segment 4 is located on the piedmont on the north edge of the Virginia Range west of US 50 Alternate (A) / US 95A and southwest of Fernley. Segment 4 is approximately 4.17 miles of new 20-inch diameter steel loop pipeline paralleling Paiute’s existing 16-inch diameter steel Carson Lateral pipeline. The segment alignment begins approximately 2.5 miles southwest of Fernley at Paiute’s existing Fernley Valve Assembly and proceeds southeast towards Paiute’s existing Racetrack Valve Assembly. It will be located, as much as possible, within the existing BLM ROW and a series of private easements. The proposed pipeline alignment crosses BLM land (19%) and private land (81%).
Proposed Current Route