Nexus Gas Transmission has secured an approval from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to commence construction on its $2.1bn interstate natural gas pipeline project.

The project will feature a 36-inch diameter natural gas pipeline that will transport up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Nexus is a business partnership involving Detroit-based DTE Energy and Spectra Energy, which is owned by Canadian natural gas distributer Enbridge.

The 255-mile pipeline, which will start near Hanoverton in Columbiana County and connect to existing pipelines in Michigan, will supply Appalachian shale gas from receipt points in Ohio to existing pipeline system interconnects in Michigan.

The pipeline crosses Washington, Nimishillen, Marlboro and Lake townships in Stark County, and then enters the city of Green in southern Summit County.

Construction work on the Nexus pipeline is scheduled to start this month.

Originally, the Nexus pipeline project was slated to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2017; however, FERC’s authorisation had come after more than three years of review.