Williams (NYSE: WMB) today announced it has placed into service a major expansion of its Transco natural gas pipeline to fuel new electric-power generation in Virginia and serve increasing local distribution demand in North Carolina. Transco is the nation’s largest-volume and fastest-growing interstate natural gas pipeline system with enough transportation capacity to serve the equivalent of more than 50 million households each day in North America.

The approximately $300 million Virginia Southside Expansion is providing 270,000 dekatherms per day (dth/d) of incremental transportation capacity, which is enough gas to serve the equivalent of 1.6 million households. The expansion consists of approximately 100 miles of new, 24-inch diameter pipeline extending from the Transco mainline in Pittsylvania County, Va., and into Halifax, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, and terminating in Brunswick County, Va. Transco placed the majority of the pipe parallel to its own existing pipeline, alongside an existing utility corridor. In addition, Transco added more than 21,000 horsepower of compression at Station 165 in Pittsylvania County, Va.

“From New York City to the Gulf Coast, we are executing on unprecedented growth on our Transco system as customers continue to seek opportunities to connect to long-lived U.S. natural gas reserves,” said Rory Miller, senior vice president of Williams Partners’ Atlantic-Gulf operating area. “As we work to connect the best supplies to the best markets, we are sharply focused on bringing these large-scale projects into service on time and on budget. These key expansions to our already premier infrastructure base are driving significant growth in our fee-based revenues and creating shareholder value.”

The Virginia Southside Expansion is part of $4.8 billion in Transco growth projects that Williams has previously announced it plans to bring into service between 2015 and 2017. Williams is executing on 15 projects in 10 eastern states to serve growing demand for natural gas to serve power generation, industrial and local distribution customers. Once complete, these projects will increase Transco’s system capacity by more than 57 percent.

Other major Transco projects Williams has placed into service this year include the Rockaway Delivery Lateral, the Northeast Connector, Mobile Bay South III Expansion and the Woodbridge Delivery Lateral. Later this year, Williams expects to place into full service Transco’s Leidy Southeast expansion.

Since 2003, Williams has invested nearly $2.4 billion to complete 21 expansion projects that have increased Transco’s transportation capacity by 52 percent to its current capacity of approximately 11.7 million dth/d. Transco is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), of which Williams owns 60 percent, including the general-partner interest. Transco delivers natural gas to customers through its 10,200-mile pipeline network whose mainline extends nearly 1,800 miles between South Texas and New York City. The system is a major provider of cost-effective natural gas services that reach U.S. markets in 12 Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard states, including major metropolitan areas in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

About Williams

Williams (NYSE: WMB) is a premier provider of large-scale infrastructure connecting North American natural gas and natural gas products to growing demand for cleaner fuel and feedstocks. Headquartered in Tulsa, Okla., Williams owns approximately 60 percent of Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ), including all of the 2 percent general-partner interest. Williams Partners is an industry-leading, large-cap master limited partnership with operations across the natural gas value chain from gathering, processing and interstate transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids to petchem production of ethylene, propylene and other olefins. With major positions in top U.S. supply basins and also in Canada, Williams Partners owns and operates more than 33,000 miles of pipelines system wide – including the nation’s largest volume and fastest growing pipeline – providing natural gas for clean-power generation, heating and industrial use. Williams Partners’ operations touch approximately 30 percent of U.S. natural gas. www.williams.com

Portions of this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined by federal law. Although the company believes any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Any such statements are made in reliance on the “safe harbor” protections provided under the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in the company’s annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.