CHATHAM, ON, Aug. 13, 2015 /CNW/ – Union Gas commends Minister Chiarelli and the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) for taking the initiative to review TransCanada PipeLine's proposed Energy East pipeline project. The findings included in the OEB's report are consistent with many of the concerns raised by Union Gas since the project was initially proposed. Specifically the report reads, “we are concerned that even with the new natural gas pipeline that TransCanada is proposing to build in eastern Ontario, Energy East will reduce the supply and increase the price of natural gas for consumers in that region. Ontario needs to be assured that the pipeline capacity and the supply of natural gas in eastern Ontario will meet Ontario's medium and long-term needs and that Ontario natural gas consumers will not subsidize the costs of Energy East.”
In November, 2013, Minister of Energy Chiarelli asked the OEB to examine and report on the Energy East Pipeline from an Ontario perspective, including the potential impacts on Ontario natural gas consumers in terms of natural gas prices, reliability and access to supply. The Government of Ontario has signalled its intention to participate as an intervenor in the National Energy Board's (NEB) review of the proposed Energy East Pipeline and the Minister intends to use the OEB's report to help formulate the Government's position.
“We have consistently taken the position that we can support the Energy East project subject to Ontario natural gas customers not being impacted in terms of natural gas supply and related costs,” said Steve Baker, president of Union Gas. “We want assurance that Ontario natural gas customers will not bear the costs and risks related to the Energy East oil pipeline and we continue to be open to finding a satisfactory resolution of these issues with TransCanada.”
The OEB's findings are also consistent with an earlier review by Québec's energy regulator which found that the natural gas component of the project “introduces costs and risks that natural gas shippers currently do not and should not have to bear.”
About Union Gas
Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. Union Gas, named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2015, is a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company with assets of $7 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. For more information, visit uniongas.com.
SOURCE Union Gas Limited