Work on the construction of a new liquefied natural gas plant on the North Slope is progressing, Harvest Alaska LLC told the board of Interior Gas Utility. Commissioning of the facility is now expected in late February and early March, with startup of the plant in April. Harvest had previously anticipated startup at the beginning of this year.

The LNG plant is designed to supply LNG to Fairbanks based Interior Gas Utility for the supply of natural gas to IGU's customers in the Fairbanks region. IGU is transferring its gas supplies from the Cook Inlet to the North Slope, given pending gas shortages in the Cook Inlet region. Hilcorp Alaska is supplying the North Slope gas for LNG production. Harvest is Hilcorp's pipeline affiliate and will operate the plant.

The LNG plant is being constructed on an existing gravel pad near Pump Station 1 of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. IGU is contracting the trucking of the LNG from the North Slope to the utility's LNG storage facilities in central Fairbanks and North Pole. Currently the utility trucks its LNG from its LNG plant near Point Mackenzie on Cook Inlet.