Update: February 13, 2012  - The government of Alberta released the Critical Transmission Review Committee report. Click here for more information.

October 21, 2011 - The Alberta Utilities Commission has suspended critical transmission infrastructure applications at government request. Click here for the news release.

On December 6, 2011 the Alberta government issued a news release (click to access) advising of an expert committee appointed to review north-south transmission plans.

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.

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.

Page contents:
Participating in the enhanced public process
Local intervener funding
Access to the application
2011 Highlights
Additional links

Participating in the enhanced public process
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 scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on November 7, 2011 at the Holiday Inn, Winspear room, 6500 67 Street, Red Deer, AB. 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 on or before September 12, 2011:

• 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 one of the four following community hearing sessions.

Date/Time	Location	Venue
November 15, 2011  7 p.m.	Rimbey	Rimbey Community Centre 5109 54 Street
November 17, 2011  7 p.m.	Red Deer	Holiday Inn, Winspear room 6500 67 Street
November 21, 2011  7 p.m.	Didsbury	Didsbury Memorial Complex 1702 21 Avenue
November 24, 2011 7 p.m.	Indus	Indus Recreation Centre 225155A Range Road 281A

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 on or before September 12, 2011:
your contact information (name, address, phone number, fax number and email address)
the community hearing session you will attend
the time that you would prefer to give your oral presentation at the hearing

Option 3: Written submission
File a submission to the Commission that expresses your view on the Western Alberta Transmission Line.
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 on or before September 12, 2011:
your contact information
information you want the Commission to consider when making its decision on the application

Local intervener funding
1. 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.
2. 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.

Access to 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. 1607067on 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.

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

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 your submission to filings@auc.ab.ca including Proceeding ID No. 1045 in the subject line. Please attach the Western Alberta Transmission Line submission form.
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. If available, please include the Western Alberta Transmission Line submission form included with the notice mailed to potentially affected Albertans.

2011 Highlights (In reverse chronological order)
February 13, 2012	The Alberta government released the Critical Transmission Review Committee report (click for more information).
December 6	The Alberta government issued a news release (click to access) advising of an expert committee appointed to review north-south transmission plans.
October 21	The AUC suspended its review of critical transmission infrastructure applications at government request. Click here for the news release.
September 12	Deadline to file submissions
August 22 to 24	Information sessions held in Ponoka, Red Deer and Didsbury.
August 4	notice of hearing issued with details on the hearing, community hearing sessions, schedule and information sessions.
July 28	Decision 2011-320 (Errata) regarding advance funding issued.
July 27	Meeting regarding the proceeding schedule in Red Deer (click here to view meeting minutes)
July 4	Letter to participants proposing the order of witness panels for the oral hearing issued. A meeting was schduled for July 27 to solicit comments on the propsal.
June 22	Ruling on the motion of Mr. Lucien A. Kurata issued.
June 21	Ruling on Standing and Mr. Joe Anglin's request regarding the timing of proceeding issued.
May 5	Decision 2011-198 issued following the process meeting on April 20.
April 20	Process meeting held in Red Deer. Click here for the redacted transcript.
April 18	Letter to participants issued containing further process meeting information.
March 8	Notice of application issued.
March 1 to 3	Information sessions held in Ponoka, Indus and Didsbury.
March 1	AltaLink Management Ltd. filed the Western Alberta Transmission Line project application.
February 22 to 24	Information sessions held in Warburg, Rimbey and Red Deer.
January 31	Enhanced public process for the expected Western Alberta Transmission Line project application Launched. Bulletin 2011-04 announces launch and provides information session schedule and opportunities for participation.

Additional links
Bulletin 2011-04
News Release 2011-02
Booklet mailed to residents in the area
Alberta electricity future
Alberta Energy Transmission
Public Involvement in Needs or Facility Applications brochure
How to Participate in a Facility Application
Public Involvement in Needs or Facilities Applications brochure

Previous transmission decisions by the AUC or its predecessors