ANR Pipeline has called on FERC to dismiss TransCanadaPipeLines’s and Nicor’s Viking Voyageur Project application on fileat the Commission, a move that could prevent the two sponsors fromusing it as the basis for a proposal to build a radically alteredproject.

“Viking is planning to build an entirely different project fromthe one it has one file,” ANR told the Commission. “First, theproject will no longer be used to import gas directly from Canada,but instead will rely on gas supplies sourced from the Chicago hub.Second, the project will be shortened from 773 to approximately 120miles. It will no longer be constructed in Minnesota at all, andconstruction in Wisconsin will be substantially reduced. Third,there will be a significant reduction in the diameter of thepipeline. Likewise, costs will be different. Finally thereapparently will be different potential shippers,” it noted.

“…[N]o benefit would be derived and no purpose would be servedby keeping Voyageur’s pending applications on file,” ANR said,adding that any changes to the existing application would result inan “unnecessarily voluminous and confusing record.”

The proposed amended Viking project, if built, would cut intothe transportation markets in northern Illinois and southernWisconsin currently served by ANR exclusively. TransCanada andNicor said they plan to submit a revised application for the newViking project, based on the old Viking Voyageur concept, to FERCeither in September or October. It will call for construction of a1.05 Bcf/d pipeline that would begin at the Joliet/Chicago Hubarea, where it would interconnect with Northern Border Pipeline andAlliance Pipeline, and would extend northward, terminating justsouthwest of Milwaukee, WI.

©Copyright 1998 Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. Thepreceding news report may not be republished or redistributed, inwhole or in part, in any form, without prior written consent ofIntelligence Press,Inc.