On October 21, 2011 the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), in response to a request from the Alberta government, announced it had suspended the regulatory process and hearings for the two proposed north-south critical transmission lines including ATCO Electric’s Eastern Alberta Transmission Line (EATL) to conduct a review.
The Government of Alberta issued a news release December 6, 2011 announcing the Critical Transmission Review Committee (CTRC), the panel of experts responsible for reviewing the two north-south lines. The CTRC report outlining their recommendations was submitted to the Minister of Energy, Ted Morton, February 10, 2012. The Government invited the CTRC to address its report at a news conference February 13, 2012 and issued a news release on the recommendations.
On February 23, the Government announced that it had accepted all of the recommendations of the CTRC and subsequently requested the AUC to resume its review of the facility application.The revised regulatory schedule and July 23, 2012 hearing start date for the project has been set by the AUC. On March 26, a Project Update was mailed to approximately 2,700 landowners, occupants, agencies and interested parties to provide an update on the status of the project and revised timeline.
Work on EATL continues, to help ensure that Albertans have a reliable and efficient transmission system today and in the future.
Progress to date on the Eastern Alberta DC Transmission Line:
ATCO Electric filed a Facility Application with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) for the Eastern Alberta DC Transmission Line that was registered effective March 29, 2011. The Application includes a proposed 500 kilovolt (kV) Direct Current (DC) transmission line and two converter stations and associated facilities located in the Gibbons-Redwater and Brooks areas.
A process decision was issued May 31, 2011, outlining the AUC process schedule including a public hearing to begin January 16, 2012.
From June 7 to 16, 2011, ATCO Electric hosted Information Sessions on the Eastern Alberta DC Transmission Line regarding construction practices and agricultural and environmental considerations for landowners and occupants on the preferred or alternative routes. In total 168 people attended the sessions held in Bruderheim, Mundare, Forestburg, Brooks, Hanna and Holden. To view the displays and information available at these sessions click on the virtual information session below.
An update on the project was mailed to landowners and interested parties in August & October. Since filing the Application, in consultation with landowners, ATCO Electric has identified some minor route adjustments that have been filed with the AUC as an amendment to the Application. The AUC issued a Notice of application amendments to landowners September 20, 2011. In parallel with these activities, ATCO Electric has been negotiating agreements with landowners for right-of-way and early access in order to begin preliminary surveying and engineering activities.
Updates will be posted to our website or you can call 1-866-650-2463 for more information.
For more information on the AUC process or to view the Application or amendments please visit the AUC website at www.auc.ab.ca.
View our Information Session Materials
ATCO Electric hosted a series of six Information Sessions on the Eastern Alberta DC Transmission Line in June 2011, to share construction practices and agricultural and environmental considerations on the preferred or alternative routes with landowners and occupants. If you were unable to attend an information session, you can view the information that was on display in our virtual information session below.