FALCON HEAVY PHOTO VIA SPACEX FACEBOOK PAGE
SpaceX wants to build a 32-mile natural gas pipeline through Brevard County to supply its launch sites on the Space Coast.
A SpaceX subsidiary, Coastal Connect Services, has asked the Florida Public Service Commission to approve the 16-inch line, according to Reuters. Its filing puts the length at 32.4 miles, and the entire line would sit inside Brevard County, connecting to the existing Florida Gas Transmission interstate system and carrying gas to SpaceX’s operations at Cape Canaveral.
SpaceX uses liquid methane to fuel its Starship rocket and says it needs the line because trucks can’t keep up with its current demand, saying that a single launch can require hundreds of truckloads of liquefied natural gas.
Florida City Gas, an existing utility, has objected, arguing the project could hurt competition, ratepayers and its own investments near the spaceport.
Commission staff recommended approval on Tuesday, October 6. The line is exempt from certification under Florida’s Pipeline Siting Act because it is under 100 miles and within one county. It still needs other permits before construction can begin. No report gave a cost for the project.
SpaceX did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The company has also sought approval for an eight-mile pipeline to serve its Starbase site in Boca Chica, Texas.
