The Sunbury Pipeline, which will bring new natural gas supplies to homes and businesses in central Pennsylvania, has received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to begin construction.

UGI Sunbury LLC, a subsidiary of UGI Energy Services LLC, said May 2 has received a certificate of public convenience and necessity from FERC to construct and operate the about 35-mile long Sunbury Pipeline. Subject to certain conditions, FERC’s approval authorizes UGI Sunbury to proceed with construction of the pipeline in the heart of the Marcellus Shale.

One of the primary end-users is “Hummel Station,” a 1,124 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant being built at the site of the shuttered coal-fired Sunbury Generation Facility near Shamokin Dam, Snyder County, Pa.

“The Sunbury Pipeline will establish a vital delivery link between abundant Pennsylvania natural gas and the Hummel Station, and is another example of UGI’s efforts to bridge the infrastructure gap between low-cost producing areas of Pennsylvania and consuming areas across our region,” said John Walsh, president and CEO of UGI Corp., in a statement.

The pipeline, comprised of 20-inch diameter steel pipeline and related facilities, is designed to deliver up to 200,000 decatherm (Dth) of natural gas per day. The pipeline originates in eastern Lycoming County and its route extends south through Montour, Northumberland and Union counties before terminating at Hummel Station in Snyder County. The pipeline also provides supply flexibility to parts of the UGI Utilities distribution system along the route.

Assuming timely receipt of all remaining necessary regulatory approvals, construction of the Sunbury Pipeline is expected to be completed as early as November 2016.