Senator Burns Provides Update on Southeastern Oklahoma Pipeline Project

MCCURTAIN COUNTY, OK – Senator George Burns, R-Pollard, announced that a Southeastern Oklahoma natural gas pipeline project is moving forward following years of regional discussion and planning involving community leaders, utility companies, and economic development partners.

According to a recent update from Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG), a division of ONE Gas, the project remains on schedule for the final design and right-of-way acquisition for the 43-mile, 24-inch pipeline connecting the Bennington Natural Gas Hub to Western Farmers Electric Cooperative’s (WFEC) Hugo Plant.

The project is designed to support WFEC’s future electric generation needs while strengthening long-term energy reliability and economic development opportunities across Southeast Oklahoma.

Burns has been a proud proponent of expanding energy production in Southeastern Oklahoma and began discussions on the need for the project during a 2021 Senate Energy Committee interim study. Burns’ study explored extending pipeline access through communities along the Highway 70 corridor, including Hugo, Fort Towson, Valliant, and Idabel.

Regional stakeholders later met at Idabel City Hall on April 22, 2022, to discuss the project and its potential impact on local communities. Representatives from Choctaw Nation, ONE Gas, local municipalities, utilities, and economic development organizations participated in the meeting.

“After five years of collaboration and regional input, it’s rewarding to see this project moving from discussion to reality,” Burns said. “From the initial interim study in 2021 to ongoing coordination with partners across Southeast Oklahoma, seeing the project now on track for construction is a meaningful milestone for our region.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the project anticipated to be in service by the third quarter of 2028. ONG stated that additional project updates will be provided as development progresses, and landowners will continue to receive information throughout the process.

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For more information, contact: communications@oksenate.gov.