Enbridge Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: EEP) plans to invest an additional $175 million to expand its East Texas system.

The partnership has signed long-term agreements with several major natural gas producers on the Texas side of the Haynesville shale to provide gathering, treating and transmission services in Shelby, Sabine, San Augustine and Nacogdoches counties. The projects involve construction of gathering and related market outlet pipelines and related treating facilities in the Texas Haynesville shale.

"We are pleased to announce these new projects for our customers in the Texas Haynesville shale region," said Mark Maki, president of the partnership's management company. "Our East Texas system is well positioned with substantial infrastructure and unmatched access to numerous intrastate and interstate connecting pipelines. We envision additional infrastructure development for our customers beyond what we've already committed in this region. We consider the Texas Haynesville to be one of the best natural gas plays in North America and expect long-term fundamentals to support development of this resource well into the future. These projects will support continued growth in cash flow and distributions for our unit holders."