Kinder Morgan says Trans Mountain project could be a year behind schedule

Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. is projecting that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project could be a year behind schedule as it continues to encounter permitting delays.

The estimate is three months further behind from the company’s last projection in December, and now potentially puts the $7.4-billion project in service by Dec. 2020 depending on regulatory, permit and legal approvals.

Kinder Morgan Canada says it has scaled back spending in 2018 to focus on securing needed final approvals for the project, which faces significant opposition from numerous Indigenous groups, environmentalists, and municipalities in British Columbia.

The company scored a victory for its project in early December when the National Energy Board ruled in its favour, allowing it to bypass some bylaws in Burnaby, B.C. that were found to be obstructing the project.

The regulator has not, however, made a decision on establishing a process to deal with potential future permitting delays for the project, as requested by the company.

Kinder Morgan Canada, majority-owned by Houston-based Kinder Morgan, repeated that if the project continues to face unreasonable regulatory risk that it may not be able to proceed with the project.

Alberta Energy Minister Margaret McCuaig-Boyd released the following statement:

“We’re fighting for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion at every step of the way, from Parliament Hill in Ottawa to the courtrooms of British Columbia, because it’s critical to working families, it’s critical to Alberta and it’s critical to the national economy.

In just over two years, our made-in-Alberta plan has got us closer than ever to breaking the landlock and finally ensuring we get full value for our resources. While this additional three-month delay is disappointing, it in no way diminishes our resolve.

Premier Notley and I have called on Ottawa to step up and defend the national interest. There is no greener energy future without a strong, modern Alberta energy economy leading the way.

We’re pleased to see Kinder Morgan remains firmly committed to this project, and we stand with them. This pipeline has federal approval, and we will ensure it is completed.”

 

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