U.S. orders priority propane supplies to ease shortage

Source: Reuters

U.S. orders priority propane supplies to ease shortage

BY SABINA ZAWADZKI
NEW YORK Fri Feb 7, 2014 8:42pm EST

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal regulator ordered the country's largest propane pipeline operator to prioritize supplies on its line from the Gulf Coast to the North East, as one of the coldest winters in memory drags on and inventories of the heating fuel dwindle.

This marks the first time the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has used its emergency authority under the Interstate Commerce Act.

The commission said on Friday it is its powers to order Enterprise Energy Partners to allocate "available capacity" on its TE Products pipeline for propane shipments.

The pipeline runs from Mont Belvieu, in the Gulf Coast and the country's largest propane storage hub, to the Northeast and parts of Midwest.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/08/us-usa-congress-propane-idUSBREA1620R20140208