Although the start date of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project is largely out of TransCanada's hands, vice-president John Dunn told the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce the company will be ready to go should the time come.
"Pacific NorthWest LNG is working to receive their necessary regulatory approvals and it is up to our customer to look at the global and fiscal environment for LNG and make a positive final investment decision. we will be ready to commence construction as soon as that occurs," he said of the Lelu Island terminal that will receive gas from the line, noting construction also depends on regulatory approval from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission for the pipeline.
Dunn said the delay in a final investment decision by the project's lone customer does not mean TransCanada's work on the pipeline has come to a halt. With the company expecting to announce three prime contractors for the approximately 900 kilometre pipeline later this year, Dunn said there is a lot going on in the background.
"One of the things that the announcement in December mention is that both Pacific NorthWest LNG in terms of their terminal at Lelu Island and PRGT in terms of its pipeline are working very diligently with major constructors to drive the cost down. We are taking the opportunity with this pause in the decision to basically look at realigning the costs across the project, whether it be materials or whether it be suppliers," he said.
"It is something that is very good for the project and something that is keeping us very busy."
Once the prime contractors have been announced, TransCanada will work to connect them with businesses across the Northwest which have registered on the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission website.
"We have received over 350 vendor registrations for the line and are currently in the process of categorizing those geographically throughout the 900-plus kilometre pipeline so we can provide a list to the prime contractor and say 'these are the types of services that have submitted interest and these are the types of jobs they are interested in'," explained manager of B.C. labour and Local contracting Brent Dietmer.
"We are going to encourage the prime contractors to work with that local community in terms of those that have shown interest."