On March 19, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) granted Golden Triangle Storage, LLC (“Golden Triangle”) a certificate of public convenience and necessity under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for its Spindletop Expansion Project (“Spindletop” or “Project”) in Jefferson County, Texas, subject to detailed engineering and environmental conditions. In the same order, FERC reaffirmed Golden Triangle’s authority to charge market-based rates for storage and hub services and granted associated waivers of cost-based accounting and reporting requirements.
Golden Triangle currently operates a salt-dome natural gas storage facility at its Central Storage Site pursuant to prior FERC authorizations dating back to 2007, when FERC first certificated two storage caverns, a compressor station, header pipelines, and market-based rate authority. In 2024, FERC: (1) approved incremental expansions to the storage site, including increased injection and withdrawal capabilities and the addition of new caverns and compression; and (2) reaffirmed Golden Triangle’s authority to charge market-based rates for firm and interruptible storage services, hub services, and wheeling services. As Golden Triangle explains, Spindletop builds on the storage site’s existing footprint by adding four new storage caverns, 55,000 horsepower of additional compression, and associated facilities largely within or adjacent to the already developed industrial site, increasing working gas capacity and deliverability to serve the Gulf Coast region.
In its application, Golden Triangle argued that the Project is needed to meet growing demand for natural gas storage services in the Gulf Coast region, and that the Project will enhance Golden Triangle’s ability to move natural gas to and from storage on short notice and at high flow rates, support deliveries for highly variable loads, satisfy market requirements during peak demand and interruptions in natural gas production and liquified natural gas export operations, and balance growing sources of onshore production. Golden Triangle further contended that the expanded facility would not wield market power in the relevant geographic market. While no party protested the Project, intervenors and commenters—including state environmental authorities and a neighboring landowner—raised issues regarding air quality, potential incremental flooding due to new impervious surface, and general environmental safeguards, with the landowner in particular expressing concern that project-related runoff could exacerbate existing drainage problems along a Texas Department of Transportation roadside ditch.
FERC ultimately granted Golden Triangle’s requested authorizations, finding that the Project meets the criteria set forth in FERC’s Certificate Policy Statement, and concluding that the Project is supported by demonstrated need and will not adversely affect existing customers, competing storage providers, or surrounding landowners and communities. Specifically, FERC determined, based on the environmental assessment and additional record evidence, that the project will not significantly affect the human environment if constructed and operated in accordance with certain mitigation measures and conditions. FERC also reaffirmed Golden Triangle’s market-based rate authority and granted associated waiver requests.
A copy of FERC’s order is available here.