“Social License” for Pipelines? Or more land theft through public relations?
By Pipeline Observer Editors
There has been a lot of talk about “social license” and pipelines lately.
As in pipeline companies need to get one in order to get their projects approved and under way.
New Democrat Adrian Dix, the apparent next premier of British Columbia, says Enbridge “mishandled its efforts to move the Northern Gateway pipeline project ahead, triggering a backlash that the company is now unlikely to overcome.”
In other words, Enbridge did what it usually does and tried to bluster and bully its way through pristine, “publicly” owned BC wilderness. And basically blew the public relations (PR) battle in the process. Click here to read more.
SHOCKER: NEB Bails Out Pipeline Monopoly. Landowners not the only ones hurt by “public” regulator.
By Pipeline Observer Editors
Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain, like all pipelines in Canada, is a franchise monopoly. That means it is protected by government from competition. Which means it can do what monopolies always do: abuse customers by jacking prices and cutting service. Click here to read the whole article.
What Do Pipeline Monopolies Do When They Want More Money? Get the public regulator to rubberstamp their rate hike requests, of course.
By Pipeline Observer Editors
Why do pipeline companies raise tolls whenever business is down or they have maintenance or other costs come up?
Because they can. They are monopolies, after all. And they can almost always count on “public” regulators as co-conspirators in their schemes to soak consumers.
We told you about TransCanada getting a guaranteed toll rate on its natural gas Mainline for the next five years because business was down.
And we told you how the National Energy Board (NEB) rubber stamped a monopoly price hike for Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, because demand to move oil from Alberta to the Pacific is up. Click here to read more.
