Court clears way for Alberta-Montana power line

LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA - The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal by landowners trying to block construction of a power line from southern Alberta to Montana.

The ruling clears the way for construction of the 350-kilometre line to carry wind-generated electricity between Lethbridge, Alberta, and Great Falls, Montana.

The project is spearheaded by Calgary-based Montana Alberta Tie Ltd., wholly owned by Toronto-based Tonbridge Power Inc.

The company says construction could start later this fall on the line, which could carry 300 megawatts at capacity in both directions.

The landowners had been seeking leave to appeal an Alberta Court of Appeal ruling from earlier this year.

The Appeal Court had said Alberta's energy regulator was right when it said it didn't have the power to re-examine the location of the line's corridor, which had been approved by the National Energy Board.

Bob Williams, a company vice-president, said engineers will take farmland into account when building the lines.

"We've designed in extra clearance where a line goes over irrigated land so that the irrigation systems can operate safely right underneath the line," he said. "We've also [tried] to place the individual poles so they are out of the way of the irrigation pivots."

The project was approved more than a year ago by both the Alberta and Montana utility commissions after years of public consultations and environmental assessments.

Related News

ontario quebec power lines

Ontario looks to build on electricity deal with Quebec

TORONTO - Ontario is negotiating a possible agreement to buy electricity from Quebec, but the government is disputing a published report that it is preparing to sign a deal for enough electricity to power a city the size of Ottawa.

La Presse reported Tuesday that it obtained a copy of a draft, 20-year deal that says Ontario would buy eight terawatt hours a year from Quebec – about 6 per cent of Ontario’s consumption – whether the electricity is consumed or not.

Ontario Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault’s office said the province is in discussions to build on an agreement signed last year…

READ MORE

Town of Gander forgives $250K debt from local curling club

READ MORE

experts-question-quebec-push-for-ev-dominance

Experts Question Quebec's Push for EV Dominance

READ MORE

power lines

Closure of 3 Southern California power plants likely to be postponed

READ MORE

substation

Russian Strikes Threaten Ukraine's Power Grid

READ MORE