By Avi Salzman

An energy company is reviving two proposed natural gas pipelines into the Northeast that had been abandoned under political pressure and have been a priority for President Donald Trump.

Williams Companies, the Tulsa, Okla.-based pipeline company, said on Thursday that it is seeking approval from federal regulators for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline, which would run from Pennsylvania through New Jersey and into the borough of Queens in New York City. It also said it is talking to state regulators about both the NESE pipeline and a separate project known as the Constitution Pipeline, which would run from Pennsylvania to New York.

"The NESE and Constitution projects are essential to address persistent natural gas supply constraints in the Northeast, constraints that have led to higher energy costs for consumers and increased reliance on higher-emission fuels like fuel oil," Williams said in a statement.

The projects would be a boon for natural gas producers in Pennsylvania such as Expand Energy and Coterra Energy, though Williams' announcement didn't do much for the stocks. Both were up less than 1% on Thursday.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office this year that getting new pipelines into the Northeast was a priority because he thinks it will lower electricity and heating costs for consumers. After proposing them more than a decade ago, Williams had abandoned both the NESE and Constitution projects after facing negative state regulatory actions and racking up millions of dollars in losses.

CEO Alan Armstrong told Barron's in March that he didn't want to move ahead on the projects again without assurances from governors that they would welcome the pipelines. There has been some movement since.

The Trump administration implied in a post on X this month that federal officials had gotten assurances from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that she would allow a pipeline in return for Trump allowing an offshore wind project called Empire Wind to proceed. Hochul's office, however, said no deal was made.

On Thursday, her office said in a statement that "this Administration is committed to improving reliability and reducing costs for New Yorkers, and all applications are reviewed impartially to determine potential impact and compliance with State law."

Governors aren't the only ones involved in the battle. Environmental groups have already been ramping up opposition campaigns, and property owners whose land would be taken away for the pipelines could take legal action. State regulators could also stop the projects for technical reasons. New York and New Jersey regulators previously found that the NESE pipeline wasn't necessary to ensure reliable service for consumers.

Rob Thummel, portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital, said the projects remain a long shot, even with political support. He compared the odds to the chances of the New York Knicks winning the NBA championship despite being on the brink of playoff elimination, saying they were "still low, but not impossible."

Write to Avi Salzman at avi.salzman@barrons.com

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 29, 2025 17:01 ET (21:01 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.