Peace River Mainline Retirement Program
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Overview |
After many years of service, the 266 km (165 mile) south section of the Peace River Mainline (part of the NGTL System) will be retired. As with any asset nearing the end of its life cycle, part of our ongoing commitment to the safe, responsible shut down includes regularly conducting meetings with nearby landholders and Indigenous communities to gather their input.
On March 14, 2018, after a comprehensive review of the technical and environmental aspects of the project, the National Energy Board approved TransCanada’s application.
We also undertake a comprehensive review of the technical and environmental aspects of the area once the pipeline has reached the end of its life cycle.
For more information, read our Peace River Mainline Abandonment fact sheet.
Indigenous Communities
Maintaining strong relationships with Indigenous communities near our projects, assets and facilities is an integral part of our business. As such, ongoing community dialogue is playing a large role in our plans to remove 9.3 km (5.8 miles) of pipeline from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Reserve lands. The adjacent map illustrates the section of pipeline to be removed.
Environmental Care
As part of our plans, we’ve filed a comprehensive plan to ensure the land is restored to its natural state where possible. Known as an Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment (ESA), this plan identifies the potential impacts on a number of factors including:
• Vegetation
• Wildlife
• Water crossings
• Cultural and archaeological sites
• Potential benefits of employment and contracting
If required, more specific environmental mitigation strategies are outlined in our Environmental Protection Plan.
Taxes
Our company pays property taxes on the south section of the Peace River Mainline in five Alberta municipalities: Clear Hills County, Birch Hills County, the Municipal Districts of Northern Lights, Peace and Greenview and on Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation lands.
Once regulatory work related to the Peace River Mainline End of Life Cycle Program is complete, the licensed lines will be removed from our property tax assessment.
Program Timeline
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Q1 2015 |
Began Indigenous and stakeholder engagement with impacted landowners and communities |
| Q2 2015 |
Evaluation of site specific risks at the proposed sites |
| Q3 2016 |
Section 74 Abandonment application is filed with the NEB |
| Q3 2018 |
Subject to regulatory approvals, abandonment activities will begin |
| Q2 2019 |
Projected timeline to complete retirement activities |
Regulatory
Regulatory Information
The Peace River Mainline Retirement Program is governed according to regulations outlined by the National Energy Board (NEB).
| National Energy Board (NEB) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Local | 1.403.292.4800 | 1.403.292.5503 |
| Toll-Free | 1.800.899.1265 | 1.877.288.8803 |
Documents and Maps
After many years of service, the 266 km south section of the Peace River Mainline will be retired. Find more about the retirement process, including FAQs, maps and more in our Peace River Mainline fact sheet.
The section of pipeline we will be removing is located approximately 34 km west of Peace River. It sits between the Meikle River and the Valleyview compressor stations in Clear Hills, Northern Lights, Peace, Birch Hills and Greenview counties.
Application
Hard copies of the Peace River Mainline Abandonment application may be obtained by contacting the following offices:
Valleyview Municipal Library
4804 – 50th Avenue
Valleyview, Alberta
T0H 3N0
Fairview Public Library
10209 – 109 Street
Fairview, Alberta
TOH 1L0
Edmonton Public Libraries – Enterprise Square Branch
10212 Jasper Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 5A3
County of Northern Lights Municipal Offices
#600, 7th Avenue NW
Manning, Alberta
T0H 2M0
Municipal District of Peace No. 135 Offices
5240 – 52 Avenue
Berwyn, Alberta
T0H 0E0
Municipal District of Greenview Offices
4806 – 36 Avenue
Valleyview, Alberta
T0H 3N0
Clear Hills County Offices
313 Alberta Avenue
Worsley, Alberta
T0H 3W0
Birch Hills County Offices
4601 – 50th Street
Wanham, Alberta
Frequently Asked Questions
In everything we do, we take significant steps to protect the land and environment. A comprehensive Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment (ESA) for the Peace River Mainline Retirement Program has been prepared and filed to support our application for abandonment.
The ESA identifies and assesses potential impacts on the natural and human environment likely to be associated with the project. This includes effects on:
- Vegetation
- Wildlife
- Water course crossings
- Cultural and social resources
- Potential benefits from employment and contracting
If needed, specific project mitigation strategies will also be developed as part of the Environmental Protection Plan. Where facilities are removed, TransCanada will reclaim the land as part of the abandonment process. Facilities left in place will remain in our database and all responsibility associated with the facilities will be maintained.
As part of planning for the south section of the Peace River Mainline, we developed end-of-lifecycle plans for submission to the NEB. These reflected input from interested parties, including landowners. The plans help determine the appropriate approach for the facilities to minimize impact on landowners, communities and the environment.
The application includes removal of the above-ground facilities including buildings, yard piping and unnecessary fencing. Additionally, some associated below-ground pipelines will be removed. This involves fully cleaning the pipeline, cutting the line in select locations and capping sections of the line to safely leave them buried in the ground.
NEB hearings for this application took place between February 22 and March 16, 2017.
Building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous communities near our projects and existing facilities has long been an integral part of how we do business. We respect the diversity of Indigenous cultures and their ties to the land. That’s why we work with First Nations communities to identify the potential effects of our activities and find mutually satisfactory outcomes.
Ways to reach us
We’re here to answer your questions. For general questions you can contact us by email, but for a quicker response, please call us directly.
| TransCanada Corporation | |
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| 450 – 1 St. SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 5H1 |
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| 1.844.933.0990 Toll-Free (North America) | ngtl_retirement@transcanada.com |
| Landowner Helpline | |
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| A key component in maintaining the integrity of our facilities is input from all stakeholders: Indigenous communities, landowners and governments. If you have questions or concerns, please let us know. | |
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Head Office |
1.866.372.1601 |
| Landowner Helpline | |
|---|---|
| A key component in maintaining the integrity of our facilities is input from all stakeholders: Indigenous communities, landowners and governments. If you have questions or concerns, please let us know. | |
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Head Office |
1.877.287.1782 |
| Media Relations | |
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| TransCanada welcomes enquiries from media. Please direct questions to: | |
| 1.800.608.7859 Toll-free (North America) | communications@transcanada.com |
| Investor Relations | |
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| We welcome inquiries from analysts, shareholders and prospective shareholders at: | |
| 1.800.361.6522 Toll-free (North America) | investor_relations@transcanada.com |