Exelon Corp.subsidiaries asked FERC for the go-ahead to build a medium-sized natural gasliquefaction and export facility in Texas.

Annova LNG Common Infrastructure LLC and affiliates filed anabbreviated application for a certificate to own and operate the LNG project onJuly 13. Annova LNG asked FERC to approve the project by March 30,2018. The company plans to begin construction of the project in the thirdquarter of 2018.

"The mid-scale size of the facility would meet therequirements of multiple foreign purchasers whose annual demand is best metwith increments of 1 mtpa," the company said in the application.

Annova LNG estimated the export project would cost $3 billion. The projectwould include six gas liquefaction trains, each with an LNG production capacityof 1.0 mtpa, for an eventual aggregate nameplate capacity of 6 mtpa with highervolumes possible. The trains would be built on an approximately 731-acre parcelon the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas. Theywould be commissioned and operated in three stages of two trains each.Commissioning for the first stage is expected to begin in the second quarter of2021, with operations expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The LNG facilities would receive 0.9 Bcf/d of feed gas froma proposed intrastate natural gas pipeline. The pipeline would run about 130miles from Kingsville to Brownsville, Texas, and would be constructed in 2021.The 36-inch-diameter pipeline would deliver gas from the King Ranch processingplant and Agua Dulce hub, according to the application.

The project entered FERC's process in March 2015.

Annova LNG is an indirect subsidiary of Exelon. Annova LNGwould facilitate financing of the project, build and operate the exportfacilities, own some common facilities and hold the project's permits, whilelimited-liability companies Annova Brownsville A LLC, Annova Brownsville B LLCand Annova Brownsville C LLC would each own two of the project's liquefactiontrains. (CP16-480)