Company exploring new gas pipeline in five central and eastern Va. counties

A company that appears to be affiliated with efforts to build a large natural gas plant in Charles City County is exploring the possibility of constructing a gas pipeline through five central and eastern Virginia counties, according to letters sent to residents.

In the letters, Chickahominy Pipeline, LLC, requests landowners’ permission to enter their property to conduct surveys and other appraisals to determine the feasibility of building a 24-inch gas pipeline along an unspecified route through Charles City, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa and New Kent counties.

“At this time, we will only be walking to determine the proposed route select (sic), the most visible route that will limit the impact to the property,” reads a letter to Hanover County property owners dated July 2.

The pipeline company registered with the State Corporation Commission this January and lists the same address and registered agent as Chickahominy Power, LLC, a subsidiary of developer Balico, LLC, which is planning the proposed 1.6-gigawatt gas plant in Charles City County.

Balico did not respond to an email about pipeline plans.

What path the project might follow is not clear. Pipelines owned by Transco and Columbia Gas cross through Louisa County, and both Columbia and Virginia Natural Gas operate lines throughout the southeastern portion of the state.

Chickahominy Power’s 2018 application to the State Corporation Commission for permission to construct and operate the facility noted that a 16-inch gas pipeline owned by Virginia Natural Gas crossed the proposed plant site.

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