Work begins on Duke Energy’s controversial Hamilton County gas pipeline

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Duke Energy announced Monday it has begun work on a controversial 12-mile gas pipeline through Hamilton County despite residents and community leaders fighting for years to try to stop it.

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The pipeline will serve customers in southwest Ohio and connect an existing Duke Energy Ohio pipeline near the intersection of Butler, Warren and Hamilton counties with an existing company pipeline in the Norwood area.

It will run through Sharonville, Sycamore Township, Blue Ash, Evendale, Reading, Amberley Village and Golf Manor.

Construction on the Central Corridor Project kicked off at 7 a.m. in Reading on West and Third streets and in the Sharonville/Sycamore Township areas along Conrey Road, the utility said in a news release.

Intermittent lane closures are possible during working hours. Flaggers will be present.

Multiple crews will work daily in different locations until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the utility said in a news release.

“Some crews will be doing conventional open trench installation, while others will be performing underground boring installation at high traffic roadways and intersections. Driveways will remain open and crews will work with customers to ensure they can come and go during construction. Customers will need to use caution and allow extra time to get through construction areas.”

The pipeline will run through Sharonville, Sycamore Township, Blue Ash, Evendale, Reading, Amberley Village and Golf Manor.

Traffic information will be updated each Friday on the project website, where Duke Energy explains why the pipeline is necessary:

“The Central Corridor Pipeline is the next phase in Duke Energy’s long-term plan to continue providing safe and reliable natural gas service today and for generations to come. Duke Energy Ohio has critical propane peaking facilities that help provide natural gas to our customers on the coldest days of the winter. These peaking plants must be retired. They were placed in service in the early 1960s and although we continue to responsibly maintain them, they reflect outdated technology. The facilities include a man-made cavern, located 400 feet underground, to store propane. There is no present-day repair for the cavern walls. If the integrity of the walls is compromised, we would need to immediately shut the plant down. A loss of the propane facilities on just one day during the winter season could be devastating because approximately 30,000 homes and businesses could lose natural gas service. Restoration of service could be lengthy given mandatory safety requirements.

“The Central Corridor Pipeline will enable us to upgrade existing infrastructure without interrupting natural gas service to our customers. Some of our existing pipelines have been in service for over 50 years.

“Duke Energy needs the flexibility to bring natural gas into Hamilton County from a diverse supply of pipelines located north of our Ohio service territory. Due to the way our system is configured, we cannot bring additional supplies of natural gas from the south.”

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