Berkshire Hathaway Energy to Acquire Dominion Energy Gas Transmission and Storage Business
TAMARACK – Berkshire Hathaway Energy on Sunday announced it is acquiring Dominion Energy’s natural gas transmission and storage business. Dominion Energy holdings include its natural gas storage area in Tamarack. An extended news release announcing the acquisition made no specific reference to the Tamarack area operations. Dominion employs better than 50 workers in the western Clinton County area.
Union members on Sunday received a message from the union leadership which stated that there are many unanswered questions. Employees at Tamarack are represented by UGWU Local 69. The union statement posted on its Facebook page:
Dominion Energy has notified the Union Leadership today at 3pm that they are selling Dominion Transmission/Storage to Berkshire Hathaway. They have also informed the Union of its intent to abandon the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project. DEWV is not part of the sale and Dominion will still own those assets. At this time we fully realize there are many unanswered questions and the Leadership is scheduling meetings with Labor Relations as well as the Company officials to transition employees and benefits over the next few months. The sale will be final sometime in the 4th quarter of 2020. The Union Leaders are committed to communicate information to the members as things develop. We ask the membership to stay calm and stay focused on their job, we have a 4 year contract and must be honored by the purchaser.
The release from Berkshire Hathaway Energy:
DES MOINES, Iowa – Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., today announced it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Dominion Energy’s natural gas transmission and storage business. The assets include over 7,700 miles of natural gas transmission lines, with approximately 20.8 billion cubic feet per day of transportation capacity and 900 billion cubic feet of operated natural gas storage with 364 billion cubic feet of company-owned working storage capacity, and partial ownership of a liquefied natural gas export, import and storage facility. The transaction has an enterprise value of approximately $9.7 billion.
‘I admire Tom Farrell for his exceptional leadership across the energy industry as well as within Dominion Energy,’ said Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. ‘We are very proud to be adding such a great portfolio of natural gas assets to our already strong energy business.’
As part of the transaction, Berkshire Hathaway Energy will acquire 100% of Dominion Energy Transmission, Questar Pipeline and Carolina Gas Transmission; and 50% of Iroquois Gas Transmission System. The agreement does not include acquisition of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
Additionally, the company will acquire 25% of Cove Point LNG – an LNG export, import and storage facility in Maryland. Dominion Energy will continue to own 50% of Cove Point, with Brookfield Asset Management continuing to own the remaining 25% share. Berkshire Hathaway Energy will operate the Cove Point facility once the transaction closes. The Cove Point export terminal is one of only six LNG export facilities in the U.S.
‘This premier natural gas transmission and storage business has been operated and managed in a best-in-class manner,’ said Bill Fehrman, Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s president and CEO. ‘Acquiring this portfolio of natural gas assets considerably expands our company’s footprint in several Eastern and Western states as well as globally, increasing the market reach and diversity of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.’
‘We are honored to be gaining a wonderful group of employees with a wealth of experience that will continue to provide high-quality service for our customers and partners. We look forward to welcoming them to the team,’ said Greg Abel, Berkshire Hathaway’s vice chairman, noninsurance operations, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy chairman. ‘We are fortunate Dominion Energy has entrusted us to preserve and build upon such a remarkable business that will allow Berkshire Hathaway Energy to add $9.7 billion in asset value to the portfolio that currently exceeds $100 billion.’
Thomas F. Farrell, II, Dominion Energy chairman, president and CEO, said, ‘Dominion Energy’s best-in-class gas transmission and storage business has been a major component of our success since we merged with Consolidated Natural Gas in 2000. Our talented employees maintain industry-leading operating, safety, and environmental standards to provide our customers with reliable, affordable, and safe service. They will be joining Berkshire Hathaway Energy, an excellent corporate citizen whose leadership and employees share our commitment to values-based service, safety, reliability, and community engagement.’
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020.
About Berkshire Hathaway Energy
From our roots in renewable energy, Berkshire Hathaway Energy has grown to a $100.8 billion portfolio of locally managed businesses that share a vision of being the best energy company in serving our customers, while delivering sustainable energy solutions. These businesses deliver low-cost, safe and reliable service each day to more than 12 million electric and natural gas customers and end-users around the world. Our employees pride themselves in putting customers first in all they do, and as a result, our businesses consistently rank high among energy companies in customer satisfaction. Berkshire Hathaway Energy is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.A. Learn more at www.brkenergy.com.
About Dominion Energy
More than 7 million customers in 20 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable, and safe energy and is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy with more than $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution, and import/export services. The company is committed to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.
