The Canadian energy regulator National Energy Board (NEB) has decided to restart all hearings related to the Energy East and Eastern Mainline gas pipeline projects, voiding all decisions made by the previous hearing panel that was accused of bias.
The Energy East Pipeline Project is a 1.1 mb/d crude oil pipeline project, whose development will involve converting approximately 3,000 km of existing natural gas pipe in the Canadian Mainline between the Alberta/Saskatchewan border to Cornwall, Ontario. Another 1,600 km will be new construction in Québec and New Brunswick. Associated facilities will include pumping stations in each province and four new oil storage terminals, one each in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Québec and New Brunswick. If approved, Energy East is anticipated to be in service in 2020.
The project review was stalled in August 2016 after protests disrupted the first day of the process. With the complete restart of the approval procedures, the NEB panel will have 21 months to complete the hearing process, which will be followed the government approval within 6 months. This government approval will then be postponed to October 2019, after the next federal election. Construction will also be postponed from 2017 to at least late 2019.