Background

AltaLink Management Ltd. submitted the Western Alberta Transmission Line application on March 1, 2011 to apply for the facilities to satisfy one of the Alberta critical transmission infrastructure projects set out in the Electric Utilities Act. After reviewing the application the AUC then issued a notice of application on March 1, 2011 to provide a process meeting date and location and to propose a proceeding schedule. The process meeting was held on April 20, 2011 and after considering the information presented/ submitted the AUC issued Decision 2011-198 on May 5, 2011.

On October 19, 2011, the government of Alberta advised that it was reviewing its approach to critical infrastructure projects, including the Western Alberta Transmission Line, and requested the Commission suspend or adjourn its consideration of these applications. The AUC suspended its review process and public hearing for the Western Alberta Transmission Line as stated in the news release, dated October 21, 2011.

One December 6, 2012 the Alberta government announced the appointment of an independent panel of experts to review the plans for the critical infrastructure projects. On February 13, 2012 the Alberta government released the Critical Transmission Review Committee report which recommended proceeding as soon as possible with the development of the two high-voltage transmission lines.

On February 23, 2012, the Alberta government accepted the recommendations of the committee and the AUC recieved a formal request from Minister Morton to resume proceedings on the critical transmission infrastructure applications, including the Eastern Alberta Transmission Line.

Enhanced public process

The AUC is committed to ensuring that Albertans who believe that they may be directly and adversely affected by an upcoming decision are adequately informed about the project, have an understanding about their opportunities for participation in the hearing process and have an adequate opportunity to participate. In light of this, the AUC issued Bulletin 2011-04 on January 31, 2011 to launch an enhanced process for the expected Western Alberta Transmission Line project application and to provide a schedule for information sessions in local communities. The first round of information sessions were held in Warburg, Rimbey, Red Deer, Ponoka, Indus, and Didsbury at the end of February and beginning of March 2011. The second round of information sessions were held in Ponoka, Red Deer and Didsbury in late August 2011. Further, the AUC extended an invitation to provide more information sessions to larger groups upon request.

The enhanced process gives individuals (or groups) the opportunity to choose how they would like to participate by choosing one or all of the following three options:

Option 1: Participate in a formal public hearing
This option gives you (or your representative) an opportunity to present evidence, cross-examine witnesses and submit argument at the public hearing. If you choose to participate in the proceeding in this way please provide the following information by email to filings@auc.ab.ca with a subject line Proceeding ID No. 1045:

• your contact information (name, address, phone number, fax number and email address)
• your lawyers contact information
• the nature and scope of your intended participation
• the facts you propose to show in evidence
• the reason(s) you believe the Commission should decide in the manner that you advocate
• your efforts, if any, to resolve issues with the applicant

Option 2: Oral submission at an upcoming community hearing session
This gives you an opportunity to present an oral submission of up to five minutes in length to the Commission at a community hearing session in the evening.

Option 3: Written submission
File a submission to the Commission that expresses your view(s) on the Western Alberta Transmission Line.

Local intervener funding

Persons (including individuals and corporations) that may be directly and adversely affected by the Commission’s decision on the application are entitled to participate in a public hearing and are said to have standing. Standing is determined by the Commission. Generally, if you own or reside on a property located within 800 metres of the edge of the finalized rights-of-way (on the preferred or alternative routes) the Commission has determined that you are legally entitled to participate in the process.

Note: If an objection to standing is made, the Commission will listen to evidence and arguments presented by both the objecting party and the one claiming standing and then make a ruling on standing.

Once you have decided to participate, and considered by the AUC to have standing, you may be eligible to qualify for local intervener funding.  The Local Intervener Costs brochure outlines what a local intervener is and provides some general information about funding. Full details about the rules on local intervener funding including the scale of costs, budget submissions and cost claims can be found in AUC Rule 009.

Accessing the application

A large portion of this application and subsequent submissions are available to the public without registering with the AUC. However, due to some sensitive and personal information included in the application and submissions that is needed to properly examine the submissions and evidence, some information has been redacted (or safeguarded) to protect individuals privacy.

Note: click on application no. 1607067 on left side of page once you access the proceeding

To register in this proceeding and obtain full versions of documents (not redacted) please refer to the AUC Electronic Filings Services brochure to obtain access to our electronic filing services (e-filings services) which will allow you to make submissions and become a registered party. You can fill out the Western Alberta Transmission Line submission form and register it in the AUC e-filling services and you will then be able to access the full application.

For assistance with e-filing services phone 780-427-4901 and press 3 or email systemservices@auc.ab.ca

Although use of our e-filing services is preferred you may also email submissions to filings@auc.ab.ca including Proceeding ID No. 1045 in the subject line. The Western Alberta Transmission Line submission form can be completed and submitted to the AUC as a submission.

For those without access to a computer, paper submissions can be sent to:

Alberta Utilities Commission, Facilities Division RE: Proceeding ID No. 1045
Fifth Avenue Place, Fourth Floor, 425 First Street SW
Calgary AB, T2P 3L8 

Additional links

Bulletin 2011-04
News Release 2011-02
AltaLink Management website for WATL project
Alberta Energy Transmission
Public Involvement in Needs or Facility Applications brochure
How to Participate in a Facility Application
Previous transmission decisions by the AUC or its predecessors