Written by Trevor Busch

Thursday, 07 June 2012 21:55

A proposed transmission line project which was planned to pass through the western area of the M.D. of Taber could now be re-designated to a different route farther west in the County of Lethbridge.
Recently, AltaLink announced that after assessing additional input from stakeholders, it is considering switching the original preferred route with the alternate route for the Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission Project.
“I think that’s positive from my point of view — I’m sure the folks over in the County of Lethbridge wouldn’t say that,” said Coun. Don Johnson, who represents the southwest area of the M.D. of Taber. “And I understand that, just the same as our folks. As we dug into this thing, this is not truly an M.D. of Taber issue, but if it affects our ratepayers, then it becomes an M.D. issue.”
Under the current preferred routing, the transmission project would transect the western area of the M.D. of Taber, making a north-south crossing of Highway 3 near the hamlet of Cranford. The project would see a new transmission line connect the Picture Butte Substation to a proposed substation in the area north of Wrentham. From that point the proposed Etzikom Coulee to Whitla Transmission Project would head east and connect to the Whitla Substation (east of Highway 885 and south of Township Road 80).
The current alternate route, which is now being considered by AltaLink as the preferred route, would travel through the eastern area of the County of Lethbridge and make a north-south crossing of Highway 3 just west of  Tempest.
Johnson outlined some of the issues of concern that were raised by the M.D. of Taber with AltaLink over the preferred routing for the transmission project.
“We got fairly aggressive on this thing. As a council, we actually brought in some of the folks with AltaLink to come and meet with us. We had Shawn Kinniburgh in on the aerial spraying, which is a big issue. We talked about various alternatives, or profiled towers, that would allow them to get a little bit closer. Shawn actually came back in and did a presentation to us and showed us some of the challenges that they face in flying. Unless they have really experienced pilots, they don’t want somebody flying anywhere close to them. So you’re going to lose some crop production there, because ground spraying is not really an effective option, given the number of passes that you’re making with the potato crops.”
In conjunction with efforts made by the M.D. of Taber, Johnson also met with officials from AltaLink in Calgary and hashed out some of the problems with the proposed project which may not have been impressed upon the transmission provider through stakeholder consultations.
“I think that’s something that AltaLink had not thought about (aerial spraying), and we made that point very strongly when we met with AltaLink here in Taber. I did a follow up, I went to Calgary and met with some of their senior people up there, and I was fairly aggressive with them with regard to needing to understand what the financial implications are for these families who are farming. They’ve invested significant dollars there, they’ve been farming there for generations. You’re telling someone after all of that investment that they can’t grow underneath there? I don’t think so. We went back and forth, and they looked at the number of families, and I said there’s fewer families on the alternate route, and there’s not many potato growers on that alternate route — I think there’s one.”
The Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission project would be a 240 kV double circuit transmission line approximately 66 to 80 kilometres in length. The estimated cost is approximately $160 to $250 million, which would amount to 16 to 25 cents on the typical residential utility bill.
AltaLink hosted open houses in January 2011 for the projects and has since been working to refine their original routing options using information gathered from landowners and environmental work. In December 2011 open houses were held in Coaldale, Stirling and Foremost.
Johnson admitted that during the meeting he presented the views of his ratepayers and the M.D. of Taber in no small terms.
“I made a very strong case, I had facts and figures and numbers on the cost of production. It turned out to be a very fruitful meeting, and to be honest, I had a very positive reception from those guys. They know the position I had provincially, and still have that influence. I made it very clear to them — if you don’t resolve this, then it will become a political issue. I’m glad to have played a small part — at the end of the day, it’s the M.D. of Taber that went to bat for their ratepayers.”
After consultation is complete, AltaLink will submit an application to the Alberta Utilities Commission for approval to build the new transmission facilities. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin in the summer or fall of 2013.
As AltaLink has only announced that they are considering switching the preferred and alternate routes, nothing has yet been finalized, but Johnson is hopeful of a favourable outcome.
“I’m really pleased for our guys. I think the M.D. of Taber probably played a positive role in encouraging AltaLink to re-think this. I’m really pleased, first of all on behalf of my ratepayers, and farmers and growers and producers in that area, because I think that it’s a good positive solution. And I think the impact on the alternate line is far less — I really believe that. I think the thing that people can take away from this in my opinion is that the council of the M.D. of Taber takes seriously a responsibility to try to help our ratepayers.”
More information on the project can be found at www.altalink.ca.

Written by Greg Price

Wednesday, 22 February 2012 15:14

There are locals none too happy about the preferred route that has been announced for a proposed AltaLink transmission project in southern Alberta.
Under proposed routing, the Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission Project will transect the western area of the M.D. of Taber, making a north-south crossing of Highway 3 near the hamlet of Cranford.
“It’s ludicrous — the preferred route goes through some of the highest-priced farmland in Alberta. There are sections and half sections right in the middle and you’ve got pivots in there. Also, crossing the lake, this preferred route has more twists and turns in it,” said Darrell Kuryvial, one of a handful of concerned citizens in a delegation to M.D. of Taber council at its Feb. 14 meeting, asking council for its support in opposing the preferred route of the project. “Some places where there are existing powerlines and canals that already have right of ways, people feel those towers would be moved quite a way into their quarters because of existing right of ways already. I wish AltaLink would give us the same consideration as they did the province.”
The project would see a new transmission line connect the Picture Butte Substation to a proposed substation in the area north of Wrentham. From that point the proposed Etzikom Coulee to Whitla Transmission Project would head east and connect to the Whitla Substation (east of Highway 885 and south of Township Road 80).
The Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission project would be a 240 kV double circuit transmission line approximately 66 to 80 kilometres in length. The estimated cost is approximately $160 to $250 million, which would amount to 16 to 25 cents on the typical residential utility bill.
AltaLink hosted open houses in January 2011 for the projects and has since been working to refine their original routing options using information gathered from landowners and environmental work. To date, 600 one-on-one consultations have been completed with landowners.
According to the delegation, those open houses have fallen on deaf ears.
“We’ve all met with their representatives and the frustrating part is we all live within arm’s length of each other and we never get the same representative. They don’t what to know how everyone is feeling I guess,” said Kuryvial. “The open houses, I’ve gone to them and all that is, is going through the motions because they are required to.”
The Potato Growers of Alberta set up a meeting with AltaLink officials last Thursday to voice their concerns as well with how much of an impact the project will have in the area.
“Twenty per cent of our potato acres are affected,” said delegation member Bill Tamminga to council. “In regards to spraying, we as potato growers are nervous, when planting and growing towards the line, if they don’t get sprayed for fungicide, the west wind could take out the whole field and the neighbour’s field.”
Kuryvial added when spraying issues were brought up to AltaLink members at open houses, they replied that drifting over could be utilized.
“For Kinniburgh or any other aerial applicator, that’s the worst thing they want to do is drift,” said Kuryvial in explaining the buffer zone aerial spray planes require near powerlines which affects row crop acres. “We brought up the property values of how that is going to affect them and of course their answer is it’s not going to impact them at all. It’s total arrogance.”
Other concerns the delegation cited with the project is the health risk to people and animals with possible links to cancer being near powerlines, highly productive soil being taken out of production, safety issues working farm equipment around towers and power lines, and further development being hindered.
In AltaLinks’s original routing options from January was a proposed crossing over the Chin Coulee Dam, which was discovered to be a sensitive pelican feeding area.
“They (pelicans) are not even native to this country, that has just happened in the last 10 or 20 years,” said councillor Dwight Tolton, voicing his preference that the alternate AltaLink route or the proposed crossing over Chin Coulee Dam should be used instead. “People should be given as many rights as pelicans.”
Coun. Don Johnson added there can be a disconnect when people who are making decisions come out of Calgary and Edmonton. They do not have a clue about the agriculture southern Alberta has that services the rest of the province.
“We keep telling them all the time we have four or five per cent of the arable land in the province under irrigation, we produce 20 per cent of the gross dollars in agriculture out of this area, that is very significant,” said Johnson.
“Yes, we need power, but there has to be a better balance to deal with that.”
After consultation is complete, AltaLink will submit an application to the Alberta Utilities Commission for approval to build the new transmission facilities. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2013.
POWER PLAY: M.D. council was represented at the PGA’s meeting with AltaLink on Thursday. M.D. of Taber Reeve Brian Brewin attended the PGA’s meeting with AltaLink officials and came away with the impression the writing was already on the wall.
Brewin added council will be doing some letter writing opposing the project route and will seek an audience with Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Evan Berger to see if a reprieve can be made.
“These high power lines affect their ability to spray. You get these big high towers around their potato areas and it limits their ability to aerial spray,” said Brewin in an interview with The Times after the scheduled meeting with AltaLink. “To be honest with you, I was a little disappointed, I think AltaLink came with their mind already made up that this was the (preferred) route they were going to take which they relayed back. Agriculture is a big part of our municipality and potato growers are one of our bigger industries so we take it seriously.”

Written by Trevor Busch

Wednesday, 25 January 2012 15:49

The preferred and alternate routes have been announced for a proposed AltaLink transmission project in southern Alberta.
Under proposed routing, the Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission Project will transect the western area of the M.D. of Taber, making a north-south crossing of Highway 3 near the hamlet of Cranford. The project would see a new transmission line connect the Picture Butte Substation to a proposed substation in the area north of Wrentham. From that point the proposed Etzikom Coulee to Whitla Transmission Project would head east and connect to the Whitla Substation (east of Highway 885 and south of Township Road 80).
“The preferred routes for both projects represent the lowest potential impact when compared to other options,” said AltaLink director of siting, Hudson Foley, in a press release. “We have taken a close look at the options and compared them in terms of potential impacts like residential and environmental, to name just a few.”
The Picture Butte to Etzikom Coulee Transmission project would be a 240 kV double circuit transmission line approximately 66 to 80 kilometres in length. The estimated cost is approximately $160 to $250 million, which would amount to 16 to 25 cents on the typical residential utility bill.
AltaLink hosted open houses in January 2011 for the projects and has since been working to refine their original routing options using information gathered from landowners and environmental work. To date, 600 one-on-one consultations have been completed with landowners.
“Our staff has certainly had some discussions, and we’ve had discussions as a council,” said Coun. Don Johnson, who represents the southwest area of the M.D. of Taber. “They had some open house stuff last fall, and invited people to it. We’ve had ongoing discussions with them, and they usually keep us pretty well apprised.”
With the amount of agricultural lands in the project area, Foley said it was clear from the outset placing a line that would minimize agricultural impacts was important.
“This area of the province has a lot of specialized agricultural practices, such as aerial spraying and irrigation,” said Foley. “So it was crucial that we really did out homework. This took some time but it allowed us to fully understand possible impacts, and how they could potentially be mitigated.”
Coulee crossings were another area where mitigation strategies needed to be prepared. In AltaLinks’s original routing options from January was a proposed crossing over the Chin Coulee Dam, which was discovered to be a sensitive pelican feeding area.
“After consulting with landowners in the area we were made aware of the pelican feeding site and have changed routing to cross Chin Coulee about one kilometre to the west. This move to the west reduces the potential environmental impact, and also reduces the number of residences near the line,” said Foley.
Johnson had also been made aware of the concerns of residents in the area with regard to pelican habitation.
“The biggest issue that I’ve heard is down at Stafford Lake subdivision. There’s half a dozen permanent residents down there. They’ve called and talked to me, and I’ve told them I’d be happy to get together with them — they were worried about the pelicans, and what the impact of that was going to be. Before there were any reservoirs around there were some natural bodies of water, but not a lot of them in this part of the country. When we put these irrigation reservoirs in, we seemed to attract some of those kinds of birds — and these people were concerned about them.”
Both projects are part of the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement and are needed as existing transmission lines and substations in the southern part of the province do not currently have the capacity to connect power generated from new wind farm projects.
AltaLink hosted open houses for both projects in December 2011 in Coaldale, Stirling and Foremost.
Information about preferred and alternate routes was presented, and project teams were on hand to answer questions.
Coun. Johnson offered his view it would be unlikely the proposed transmission line would meet with much landowner opposition in the M.D. of Taber due to routing.
“I haven’t heard anything from any of the farmers. Usually farmers, when they run a line — our rule is two feet outside the property line for an M.D. right of way. If it’s any bigger than just a telephone pole, then you’re talking a whole different ball game — when they’ve got those bigger ones, then they need to go into a landowner’s property. They secure permission and consideration — I don’t know that there would be a lot of opposition out in that area, to be honest.”
After consultation is complete, AltaLink will submit an application to the Alberta Utilities Commission for approval to build the new transmission facilities. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2013.
More information on the projects can be found at www.altalink.ca.

Thursday, 31 May 2012 02:01 Letter to the Editor

I must admit I am getting very tired of hearing ads on the radio from AltaLink and the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) telling us how much we need new transmission lines and how wonderful they are.
I asked myself why they would be advertising on the radio. Advertising is normally used by someone trying to sell something. Then I realized this is exactly what they are trying to do. They are trying to sell me something I don’t need. Why would they bother to do this? Because AltaLink stands to profit immensely from the planned transmission lines that Albertans don’t really need.
Interest rates today are amazingly low. The Canada Treasury Bill rate is currently under one per cent. Five-year mortgages at three per cent. Government of Canada 10-year bonds yielding 2.6 per cent. So we must be paying a low rate on these new transmission lines, right? Wrong! The generic return on equity for 2011 and 2012 is set at 8.75 per cent by the utility board.
Wow. How do I get a piece of that action? No wonder AltaLink is advertising. I would be doing everything I could, too, if I could get an 8.75 per cent return.
It is time for Albertans to rise up and be heard. Contact your MLAs and tell them that you are tired of big business profiting at the expense or ordinary Albertans.
John R. Davies
President, Lethbridge Iron Works Co. Ltd.

 By Keith Gerein, edmontonjournal.com May 29, 2012

EDMONTON – Debate raged Tuesday in the Alberta legislature over the issue of politicians’ pay, as MLAs gave approval to the majority of Jack Major’s proposals to clean up the compensation system.

The legislature’s vote on Tuesday to approve all but four of the recommendations from the former Supreme Court justice came over the objections of several opposition members. While Wildrose MLAs suggested aspects of the proposal are still too rich, Liberal members argued MLAs shouldn’t be debating their own compensation at all.

Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman said the process can hardly be called independent if MLAs are “cherry-picking” only what they like from Major’s findings.

“We said we wanted someone else to do this for us, and what are we doing? We are debating our own pay,” she said. “We have the government saying we accept the report, except certain things.”

Tuesday’s vote means the issue now passes to the all-party members services committee, which is responsible for implementing the changes. If the committee moves ahead, MLAs will get Major’s recommended base salary of $134,000, plus up to $67,000 more when they take on extra responsibilities. Though the practice of additional money for committee work will end, Alberta MLAs will still be among the highest paid politicians in the country, behind only Quebec, territorial and federal politicians.

One of Major’s proposals that was not accepted concerns payment for the premier.

Instead of boosting Redford’s salary to $335,000 over the next three years, it will instead be set at approximately 25 per cent more than a minister with a portfolio. The premier’s salary is currently set at about $200,000.

The government has also pledged to eliminate severance pay and the tax-free portion of MLA pay. This will be countered somewhat by the reintroduction of a pension plan, which was scrapped by the Klein government in 1992. The member services committee has been asked to look at the advantages of going with a “defined-contribution” pension plan rather than the “defined-benefit” plan Major recommended.

Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said her party agrees with many of the proposed changes, but believes some numbers are still too high. In particular, she said the pay for cabinet ministers, who voted themselves a 34-per-cent increase in 2008, should be rolled back.

“No one I spoke to during the recent election said cabinet ministers need a pay raise.”

Smith also targeted the “gold-plated” pension plan Major recommended, saying the government was right to have killed it two decades ago.

“Reinstating this would be a slap in the face to Alberta taxpayers and hard-working Alberta families,” she said. “If we accept this, we merely affirm that which most people already believe about their politicians, that we aren’t really interested in serving the public, that we are merely here for what we stand to gain from it.”

The NDP said politicians pay should be re-examined to get more in line with typical Albertans.

Government House Leader Dave Hancock said he also hopes the members services committee pushes toward a defined contribution plan, which carries less risk of liabilities. However, he took issue with the suggestion that MLAs were again setting their own pay.

“Where we are asking (the committee) to deviate from the report I think is in structure rather than in substance,” he said. “So I think it meets the objective of saying that we’re accepting Mr. Justice Major’s report.”

It is unclear when the committee, leader by new Speaker Gene Zwozdesky, will hold its first meeting.

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© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

 Another example of the effects of overbuilding the transmission system and the death spiral of rate impacts . . .

 You will remember how Albert’s major industry groups (IPCAA and ADC) have been warning that the costs of overbuilding our transmission system will force plants to leave the province or go off the grid and generate their own power behind the fence.  They warned that this will cause those who stay to pay even more for the unneeded transmission lines because transmission lines are a fixed cost that we all pay for whether or not they are used or needed.

 Well, we found this article in the Globe and Mail about what is happening right now in Nova Scotia as a current example that proves the Industries’ point about over-building.  

 Mill closings prompt Nova Scotia power company to seek higher rates

JANET TABER

HALIFAX— Published Wednesday, May. 09, 2012

Nova Scotia’s power company blames two troubled paper mills for forcing it to raise electricity rates for the second time in less than a year.

The province’s power rates are already among the highest in the country and now, Nova Scotia Power Inc. is asking ratepayers for even more, citing the shutdown of one mill and reduced operations at the other.

It’s all because of deep trouble at its two largest customers: the paper mill in Cape Breton, which shut down last September, and the Bowater Mersey Paper Co. on the province’s south shore, which is operating intermittently.

“We face unusual circumstances in Nova Scotia at this time,” the company says in its application. “The system’s largest customer is currently not operating.”

It goes on to note that it still has fixed costs, and its second-largest customer “Bowater Mersey” – will not be able to contribute because of its precarious circumstances.  It is expected to be shut down for several weeks this year.

“This is happening at a time when sales to other customers are not growing so we are not easily able to absorb those unavoidable fixed costs,” the document says.

Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie said the irony in this is that the two mills cited high power costs as a reason for their troubles.

“Now Nova Scotians are being told the answer to that problem is even higher power rates,” Mr. Baillie said. “We intend to pursue that aggressively. … It’s a vicious circle.”

The power company acknowledged its latest rate-increase proposal comes at a time when many Nova Scotia households and businesses are struggling to manage increases in the cost of heating oil, gasoline, tap water, groceries and other necessities.  “We realize customers will be unhappy to hear NS Power is asking for another increase.”

Haligonians pay the fourth highest rates in Canada after Calgarians and residents of Charlottetown and Regina, according to a 2011 Hydro Quebec study.

Heartland Appeal Update

 The procedural court documents for the next steps will be filed next week.  We will provide further details at that time. 

Again, we thank each and every one of you that contributed to the AUC Heartland decision Appeal.  We are still receiving the pledges that were made, and are very grateful.  If you still have a pledge that has not been sent, please do so, as we are counting on everyone’s commitment to support the Appeal.  It is moving forward, thanks to your help.

 Property Rights

 Attached is an Edmonton Sun editorial that addresses the importance of property rights and the troubling actions of the Alberta Government with the Land Bills.

 Also, last week the Fraser Institute released a report on property rights:  Stealth Confiscation: How Governments Regulate, Freeze, and Devalue Private Property. (summary attached)

 The report proves what we have been saying about the Land Bills.  Interestingly, the report uses the Alberta case of Nillson v. the Alberta Government as illustration of how provincial governments have attempted to use their law making powers to confiscate property without compensation. 

The report also shows why the government’s claim that “compensatory takings” will be compensated under Bill 10 is simply a sham.  No one will get compensated under Bill 36, the Alberta Land Stewardship Act when the Cabinet uses its new central planning powers.

The complete report is available at this link:  http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/stealth-confiscation-how-governments-regulate-freeze-devalue-property.pdf

 Land Bills – Premier’s Redford’s New Cabinet and Ministry Re-Organization

We have not heard anything from Ms. Redford or her new government as to their plans for the Land Bills. All that we know is what she said before the election:  she intends to move forward and implement them as part of her vision of “Alberta By Design” of government officials. 

 We do know that she has merged the department of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.  This may be a first step to full implementation of the Land Bills.

 We will keep you posted if we hear anything more. 

 Alberta Landowners Council

By Trish Audette, edmontonjournal.com May 14, 2012

“It’s something that we take seriously,” Alberta Environment spokesman Trevor Gemmell said Monday.

“Alberta has strict environmental laws. We believe the law was broken and that’s why charges were laid.”

Gemmell could not say how long the gas was released or whether there were complaints from anyone affected.

Hydrogen sulphide has a rotten egg smell. Its release can kill birds, aquatic life and animals, and prolonged exposure to high concentrations can cause sleepiness, blurred vision or respiratory failure in people, Alberta Environment says.

To some extent, hydrogen sulphide is always released when bitumen is produced. The charges laid Friday and announced Monday likely stem from exceeding agreed-on limits for the Horizons facility, about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.

“This is a huge concern for social license in the oilsands,” said Marc Huot, an oilsands policy analyst for the Pembina Institute, an environmental think-tank.

“Things like failing to report these exceedances brings into question whether or not it’s possible for oilsands companies to operate in an environmentally responsible way.”

Huot noted the same company has faced similar charges before, and been penalized. According to the province, last September CNRL paid a $22,500 penalty for exceeding its sulphur dioxide emissions limits and failing to report immediately. In December 2010, the company paid $12,500 for exceeding emissions and not reporting its sulphur dioxide emissions.

“I think probably the biggest challenge here is that there’s just not adequate enforcement right now,” Huot said.

CNRL is now charged with one count of releasing hydrogen sulphide gas at a level, concentration, or rate that could cause significant adverse effect on May 28, 2010, and two counts failing to report the release between May 28 and June 3, 2010.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is to appear in court in Fort McMurray on July 11. The company did not respond to interview requests.

[email protected]

To see information filed in provincial court, visit edmontonjournal.com

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Calgary mayor uses Enmax meeting to reiterate effort to shield consumers from surcharges

By Jason Markusoff, Calgary Herald May 12, 2012

Calgary’s Mayor says he is very pleased to see the man he battled in the 2010 civic election is now Alberta’s new transportation minister. Naheed Nenshi says Mayoralty candidate Ric McIver should be a strong ally for Calgary – especially with his previous efforts to champion the southeast C-train line and a southweest ring road. McIver was appointed to Alison Redford’s cabinet Tuesday.

CALGARY — Although it appears the war’s been fought and lost, Mayor Naheed Nenshi railed Friday against the province’s move to build north-south power transmission lines and vowed to continue pressing for a way to shield Calgarians from surcharges for the lines.

At the annual general meeting of Enmax — the first one for new CEO Gianna Manes — the mayor called the $3-billion twin power lines a “terrible” idea that won’t be needed because of the city-owned utility’s own project, a $1-billion gas-fired power plant in the Shepard district.

“And to build both of them and to put those costs on everyone, even the ratepayers in Calgary who, once the Shepard Energy Centre is built, actually won’t be using them very much, strikes me as very, very strange public policy,” the mayor told reporters after the meeting.

He said he’ll try lobbying Energy Minister Ken Hughes on this front, though he’s not confident he’ll have success.

Earlier this year, an independent review committee — appointed by Premier Alison Redford — reconfirmed the need for the extra transmission capacity, which Alberta Energy plans to have in service by late 2015 for a provincial population forecast of four million.

The need is there for both lines, and having both in different parts of the province also protects the grid from weather shocks, government spokesman Bob McManus said.

“If you have an ice storm or you have heavy snow or you have some kind of problem in one part of the province, it’s unlikely to also occur in the other part of the province.”

Since all power providers use the provincial electricity grid, all customers must pay the cost of new lines equally.

The province estimates the cost of the power lines will add $3 to monthly power bills, but the Redford government has urged the electricity regulator to find ways to limit those costs.

Charles Ruigrok, the utility’s outgoing interim CEO, said Enmax recognizes the eventual need of the lines — it’s a matter of when.

“Our hope will continue to be that despite the fact that construction of both lines has been approved and supported, that we will still see it phased in a smart way so that consumers aren’t asked to pay the cost of transmission infrastructure that’s not required.”

For most of his term, Nenshi has been less outspoken on Enmax transmission policy than on the company’s governance record, including pay and perks controversies that saw former CEO Gary Holden ousted last year.

With new chief executive Manes standing next to him, he told reporters “this is a very different feel than the AGM a year ago.”

Manes, who was a senior executive at U.S. power giant Duke Energy, was loath to talk Friday about her new company’s past.

She said she’s looking forward to working with the current “solid” executive team and moving her family to Calgary.

“What I can do as a leader of Enmax, really, is to bring my leadership and practice those values. What I’m concerned about is how we behave going forward,” Manes said.

Holden, fired in January 2011 after it was revealed he took a trip to Monaco on a software provider’s tab, was paid a total $5.7 million in salary, severance and pension last year, CBC News reported Friday. The company had previously disclosed that his severance was $4.6 million.

City hall will reap a 2012 dividend of $56 million, nearly the same as last year, after 2011 net earnings rose to $184.6 million from $177.8 million in the previous year. The firm’s revenue had risen by $700 million over the 2010 level, but that was matched by a rise in expenses.

Early returns for this year, however, are looking rosier: $62.6 million net earnings in the first quarter, compared with $49.8 million in the first quarter of the prior year.

[email protected]

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

SOURCE: Burns & McDonnell

May 04, 2012 08:00 ET

CALGARY, AB–(Marketwire – May 4, 2012) – Burns & McDonnell-Canada has been awarded a 5-year contract by AltaLink, L.P., to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for a range of high-voltage transmission line and substation projects throughout the Province of Alberta, Canada. Headquartered in Calgary, AltaLink employs 700 and owns and operates the electrical transmission system serving approximately 85 percent of the residents of Alberta.

The transmission projects will be determined based on need assessments and permitting approvals. Though the project list may be modified, many are expected to address power demands from oil sands development and emerging areas of population growth. Others will assist in integrating new generation from wind resource areas into the Provincial grid. The contract includes a 5-year option for additional project support following completion of the initial 5-year contract in 2017.

“With the historic investments now planned for the electrical transmission infrastructure in Alberta and throughout Canada, Burns & McDonnell-Canada is excited and honored to have been awarded this opportunity,” said Walt Womack, President of Burns & McDonnell’s Transmission & Distribution Division. “We are ready to get to work in securing reliable and clean power for the citizens of Alberta for many years to come.”

Burns & McDonnell-Canada will work with Provincial and Canadian suppliers and contractors on various projects as they are prequalified based on qualifications, safety, and quality performance. In addition, a number of local employment opportunities are anticipated in Calgary and other locations as Burns & McDonnell staffs up to support the various projects.

Burns & McDonnell has extensive experience in power transmission project development including regional planning in various ISO/RTOs throughout North America, routing and permitting, land acquisition, community and stakeholder relations, and finance support. This experience complements its traditional project engineering, procurement services, quality control / assurance, schedule control, cost control constructability process reviews, risk management, construction management and other construction services including testing and commissioning.

About Burns & McDonnell

Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is a 100 percent employee-owned, full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting services firm. Burns & McDonnell is currently the 23^rd largest AEC firm in the Engineering News-Record Top 500 ranking. With the multi-disciplinary expertise of more than 3,400 professionals in more than 30 regional, national and international offices, Burns & McDonnell plans, designs, permits, constructs and manages facilities worldwide with one mission in mind — to make our clients successful. For more information about Burns & McDonnell, visit www.burnsmcd.com or www.burnsmcd.ca.