March 6 (Reuters) - Venture Global ( VG ) said on

Thursday it would expand the total production capacity of its

Plaquemines LNG plant in Louisiana to 45 million tonnes per

annum (mtpa), up from the current 27 mtpa, with an additional

investment of $18 billion.

The company, which became one of the most valuable U.S. LNG

companies when it listed in January, had earlier in the day

raised its estimates for the cost to build the initial phases of

Plaquemines by around $2 billion.

The new third phase of expansion will consist of 24 trains,

bringing the total to 36 at the LNG plant.

The company expects a final investment decision on the

expansion to come after the first production at its CP2 export

plant in Louisiana.