In order to promote the more efficient use and distribution of natural gas and eliminate the necessity for construction of transmission facilities for gas produced or sought to be transported by a private energy entity separate from those which may already exist to serve the same area and are owned and operated by a public utility subject to the jurisdiction of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Commission shall authorize the construction of an interconnection by a private energy entity upon application of such entity if the Commission makes the findings required by Section 3 of this Act.