Nova Gas Transmission Ltd – Peace River Mainline Abandonment Project

Project Information

Nova Gas Transmission Ltd (NGTL), a wholly owned subsidiary of TransCanada Pipelines, applied to the National Energy Board (NEB) on August 18, 2016 to abandon a 266 kilometre section of the Peace River Mainline in Northern Alberta. A nine km section of the pipeline on Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Reserve Land will be removed and the remaining approximately 257 km of pipeline will be abandoned in place. The proposed project includes the abandonment of 2.34 km of the Watino Lateral Pipeline and the 0.80 km Hotchkiss North Lateral. The company also plans to remove associated above ground facilities such as the previously decommissioned Valleyview Compressor Station, utilities, buildings and foundations.

NGTL indicated in its application that customers would continue to receive service through interconnections to other pipelines on the Alberta System.

The section of pipeline that will be abandoned is located approximately 34 km west of Peace River between the Meikle River and the Valleyview compressor stations in Clear Hills, Northern Lights, Peace, Birch Hills and Greenview counties.

Project Map

This map provides an overview of the Peace River Mainline Abandonment Project.

Key Milestones

• March 14, 2018 – NEB approves NGTL application to abandon parts of the Peace River Mainline [Filing A90574]
• August 22, 2017 – Oral Traditional Evidence Hearing
• April 10, 2017 – NEB issues Hearing Order [Filing A82534]
• February 23, 2017 – March 16, 2017 – Apply to Participate Process
• January 27, 2017 – NEB issues the Notice of Public Hearing [Filing A81480]
• August 18, 2016: NGTL submitted its application [Filing A79036]

List of Issues

The list of issues outlines what the NEB will consider in the review of this project. A list of issues keeps everyone focused on the issues that are relevant to the NEB’s assessment.

If you are planning to apply for funding or to participate in the hearing, your input must be related to the issues on the list.

The NEB has identified the following issues for consideration in this hearing:

1. The rationale for the Project.
2. Potential economic and financial impacts of the Project.
3. Potential environment and socio-economic effects of the Project, including any cumulative environmental effects that are likely to result from the Project, including those required to be considered by the National Energy Board’s Filing Manual.
4. The appropriateness of the land requirements for the Project.
5. Potential impacts of the Project on Aboriginal interests.
6. Potential impacts of the Project on landowners and land use.
7. Contingency planning for product release, accidents or malfunctions, during abandonment activities of the Project.
8. The suitability of the abandonment plan for the Project, including the appropriateness of the method of abandonment.
9. Safety and security during abandonment and post-abandonment activities of the Project, including emergency response planning and third-party damage prevention.
10. The suitability of post-abandonment activities.
11. The terms and conditions to be included in any approval the Board may issue.

Resources

If you would like to learn more about how the NEB regulates pipeline abandonment, please visit the following links:

• Pipeline Abandonment
• Pipeline Abandonment – A Discussion Paper on Technical and Environmental Issues

Support for Participants

Process Advisor

The main role of a process advisor is to provide information to the general public and support to participants in the hearing. They can also answer questions about the NEB’s process.

• The NEB hosted two Information Sessions about this Project, the roles and responsibilities of the Board, and the hearing process in February 2017. You can take a look at the presentation we shared at the Information Sessions here.

You can contact a process advisor by calling 1-800-899-1265 (toll free) or emailing PRMAProcessHelp@cer-rec.gc.ca

Apply to Participate

To be a participant in a NEB hearing process, you must be directly affected or have relevant information or expertise. You can apply to participate as an intervenor or by letter of comment.

The application to participate process was held from February 23 – March 16, 2017. The process is now closed.

The NEB will decide if late applications will be accepted and whether you will be allowed to participate. Please contact the process advisor to discuss the filing process for a late application to participate.

Participant Funding

Refer to the Participant Funding Program page for information on deadlines, eligibility, how to apply for funding, and how to submit claims.

News Releases

• March 14, 2018 – NEB approves NGTL’s plans to abandon Peace River Mainline
• November 7, 2017 – National Energy Board oral hearing for NGTL Peace River Mainline Abandonment Project begins Wednesday
• August 21, 2017 – National Energy Board to hear oral traditional evidence on NGTL’s plans to abandon the Peace River Mainline – NEB will hear from local Métis Nations and the applicant
• April 10, 2017 – National Energy Board will hold a public hearing to review NGTL’s plans to abandon Peace River Mainline

Contacts

Company contacts

If you have questions about the project, including whether or not the pipeline crosses your property, please contact NGTL at 1-844-933-0990 or ngtl_retirement@transcanada.com, or visit TransCanada's Website

NEB Contacts

For process-related inquiries, please contact:

Process Advisor
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: PRMAProcessHelp@cer-rec.gc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Facsimile: 403-292-5503
Facsimile (toll free): 1-877-288-8803

Rachel Clark
Process Advisor Team
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: rachel.clark@cer-rec.gc.ca
Telephone: 403-389-4240
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Facsimile: 403-292-5503
Facsimile (toll free): 1-877-288-8803

For media inquiries, please contact:

Media Relations Team
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: media@cer-rec.gc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265