Worse, the U.S. has never before bought Russian LNG before — and this despite the U.S. being a net exporter after the fracking revolution, eclipsing Russia.
The unusual delivery may be more reflective of the New England energy market than the US as a whole, however. Limited gas pipelines from producing regions leave its states dependent on shipments of LNG in winter months, mostly sold under long-term contracts from Trinidad.
“During the recent cold snap, LNG was absolutely vital in meeting customer needs,” said National Grid, which owns Boston’s gas utility.
Governor Roy Cooper should see this as a cautionary tale. His administration is still dithering on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline despite it having received a favorable environmental review from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last summer.
Protecting the best interests of North Carolinians would mean allowing the pipeline project to proceed on its merits, so North Carolinians and their employers can benefit from access to a clean, relatively inexpensive energy source from domestic producers.
