CALGARY, Feb. 18, 2014 /CNW/ - The National Energy Board (NEB or Board) is responding to a pipeline rupture on the Nova Gas Transmission Ltd (NGTL) pipeline system approximately 10 kilometres north of Rocky Mountain House, AB owned and operated by TransCanada PipeLines Limited (TransCanada). The release was reported to the NEB early this morning. The size of the release has yet to be determined. There is no immediate safety concern for local residents and precautions are being taken to ensure continued public safety.
The release of sweet natural gas occurred on along the pipeline right-of-way. The affected section of pipe has been shut down to prevent additional gas from being released into the environment.
The NEB's Emergency Response Team has been deployed and will be onsite to monitor and assess the company's immediate response. Representatives from TransCanada are on the ground securing and assessing the incident site. First responders have been notified. Local First Nations groups are in the process of being notified.
In an emergency, the Board works with federal, provincial and territorial partners to coordinate the regulatory response. The NEB's priority in any emergency is to make sure that people are safe and the environment is protected.
The National Energy Board holds regulated companies fully responsible and accountable for responding in a manner that protects the public, property and the environment. This includes clean-up and site remediation. The Board's long-term goal with any incident is the full restoration and re-vegetation of the site including any potential effects on sub-surface groundwater. We do not relax our expectations of a company, or our response, regardless of the size of the incident.
The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada's energy industry with the safety of Canadians and protection of the environment as its top priority. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest. For more information on the NEB and its mandate, please visit www.neb-one.gc.ca.
This news release is available on the NEB's Internet site at www.neb-one.gc.ca under What's New!
SOURCE: National Energy Board
Rebecca Taylor
Communications Advisor
Telephone: 403-299-3371
E-mail: [email protected]
TTY (teletype): 1-800-632-1663
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