Canadian Regulator Backs NGTL Boost
The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) said September 3 it had recommended the federal cabinet approve TC Energy’s North Corridor expansion plan on its Nova Gas Transmission Limited (NGTL) system in Alberta.
Cabinet now has 90 days to accept or reject the CER’s recommendations, unless it extends the deadline, as it did for the CER’s earlier approval of the NGTL 2021 expansion project, citing Covid-19 circumstances. Cabinet has yet to rule on NGTL 2021.
The C$632mn (US$482mn) project consists of various loops and compression additions designed to fill an expected gap in NGTL’s ability to move gas from the Peace River Project Area in northwest Alberta to the North of Bens Area (NOBA) in the northeast, home to Canada’s oil sands industry.
By the summer of 2022, demand for delivery into NOBA is expected to reach 91.3mn m3/day, but flow capacity into NOBA in the summer of 2021 will only be about 87.1mn m3/day. North Corridor will increase flow capacity to 93.1mn m3/day.
The CER included in its recommendation 34 conditions related mostly to construction activities, safety measures and standards, environmental monitoring, caribou habitat protection and matters related to indigenous peoples. Pending cabinet approval by April 2021, TC Energy expects to have the new facilities in service by the spring of 2022.