FUNDING AWARDED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE REGULATORY PROCESS REGARDING THE NORTHWEST MAINLINE EXPANSION PROJECT

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For immediate release
23 June 2011

CALGARY The National Energy Board (NEB, or the Board) has awarded a total of $52,580 to four applicants to support their participation in the regulatory process for the Northwest Mainline Expansion Project.

Funding recipients are:

          Fort Nelson First Nation

          McLeod Lake Indian Band

          Métis Nation British Columbia

          Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement

This funding is being made available to help recipients review and comment on a project application submitted by the proponent, NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. (NGTL). Funding must be used to prepare for and participate in the hearing process. The hearing is scheduled for 29 November 2011 at a location to be determined.

An independent funding review committee reviewed the requests and provided recommendations on funding allocations. The committee’s report, along with further information on the project, is available on the Board's website (www.neb-one.gc.ca) under Major Applications and Projects before the NEB.

The Project is proposed by NGTL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Limited. The Project involves an expansion of portions of NGTL's existing Alberta System to provide additional capacity to transport sweet natural gas in northwest Alberta and northeast British Columbia.

The Project consists of the following three pipeline loop segments, which total approximately 111 km:

  • the Kyklo Creek Section, which consists of approximately 29.1 km of pipe and related facilities beginning at the Sierra Gas Plant in British Columbia that would parallel the EnCana Ekwan pipeline, located approximately 80 km southeast of Fort Nelson, British Columbia;

  • the Timberwolf Section, which consists of approximately 49.7 km of pipe and related facilities beginning approximately 30 km southwest of Rainbow Lake, Alberta that would parallel the Northwest Mainline; and,

  • the Cranberry Section, which consists of approximately 32.4 km of pipe and related facilities beginning approximately 104 km northwest of Manning, Alberta that would parallel the Tanghe Creek Lateral Loop pipeline in Alberta.

The pipeline will require approximately 111 km of new right-of-way of which 104 km will be alongside existing right-of-way.

The NEB is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest.

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Please visit the NEB website for general information about the hearing process and how you can participate effectively. To access the information, go to www.neb-one.gc.ca, select Hearing and Information Session, and then click on Participate in a Public Hearing. This news release is also available on the Board’s website under What’s New!

For further information:     

Erin Dottor (erin.dottor@neb-one.gc.ca)
Communications Officer
Telephone: 403-299-3712
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663