CALGARY, Alberta, June 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) will hold an oral public hearing to consider the Northwest Mainline Expansion Project (the Project), formerly known as the Ekwan Loop, Northwest Mainline Loop, and Tanghe Creek Loop Project.
The Project is proposed by NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. (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 oral public hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. local time, on 29 November 2011 at a location to be determined. The Board's proceeding will obtain the evidence and views of interested persons on the application.
Interested persons are invited to participate in this hearing in one of three ways:
i. by seeking intervenor status;
ii. by filing a letter of comment; or
iii. by making an oral statement to the Board.
To be considered for intervenor status, applications must be submitted by noon (MDT) on 12 July 2011; letters of comment and letters requesting permission to make an oral statement are due by noon (MDT) on 16 September 2011. These documents must be sent to the Secretary of the Board and a copy sent to NGTL and its counsel.
Online application forms are available on the NEB's Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca, under the "Regulatory Documents" heading, click on "Submit" then "Submit Documents Electronically", and then click on "Letter of Comment" or "Request to Make an Oral Statement."
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.
Please visit the NEB Web site 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 Hearings and Information Sessions, and then click on Participate in a Public Hearing.
This news release and the Hearing Order are also available on the Board's Internet site 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
For a copy of the
Application:
National Energy Board Library
Ground Floor
444 Seventh Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 0X8
Telephone: 403-299-3561
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5576
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
Email: library@neb-one.gc.ca
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