TransCanada Pipelines changes plans

July 14, 1997 TransCanada Pipelines Ltd has filed changes to its 1998 expansion program with Canada's National Energy Board, which included adding the same amount of gas transport capacity for less cost. The expansion, which originally envisaged construction of new high-pressure facilities at a cost of C$ 1.1 billion, was now expected to come in at C$ 877.6 million, a decrease of 20 %, TransCanada said. The move meant the expansion would require no increase in tolls from the company's gas shippers, it said.
TransCanada also said it expected to file a preliminary submission with the NEB this month asking it to start the environmental assessment process for the company's proposed 1999 facilities application. The 1999 plan would include construction of a new pipeline to Emerson, Manitoba from Empress, Alberta. Emerson is the starting point for the proposed Viking-Voyageur pipeline to Chicago. Overall, the expansion would be able to serve up to 2 billion cfpd of extra market demand, in addition to the 1998 program, the company said. It said facilities to be built in 1998 included 359 km of pipeline, 11 compressors and various other facilities.
For the 1999 expansion, the new line was slated to be in operation in time to serve markets in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Northern Illinois and Chicago area via the proposed Viking Voyageur line. Eastern Canada and the U.S. Northeast would be served through several options, including pipelines from Chicago, or expansion of the TransCanada and Great Lakes Gas Transmission systems.