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Proposed FortisBC compressor station raises local questions

Trail officials have questions regarding FortisBC's Southern Pipeline Crossing which could be constructed in Trail in 2015.

A new compressor for FortisBC’s Southern Crossing Pipeline could be constructed near Trail in 2015, but some local civic officials already have questions.

Although air quality modeling and assessment studies will be conducted for the new station to determine if emissions meet provincial and federal objectives, the proposed new compressor station may also result in noise and air emission concerns, according to FortisBC.

But with the project still in its infancy — a formal decision to proceed with the project won’t take place until spring — Warfield coun. Jim Nelson wondered if the new compressor would put additional strain on the existing pipeline that is going through the area.

He wasn’t against the project, but he did ask for a special meeting between village council and FortisBC to explain what impact it might have.

“Any of these pipelines going in are the benefit of the country,” he said.

“We, as civic officials, have an obligation to ferret out these things and ask questions.”

Overall, FortisBC is proposing to construct and operate a new pipeline to loop its existing natural gas transmission system between Kingsvale — 260 kilometres west of Trail — and Oliver, 100 km. west of Trail.

The 161km-long project includes building and operating a new compressor facility east of Trail, and near Kingsvale and Yahk, as well as adding a short extension of the FortisBC pipeline system near Yahk, around 100 km east of Trail.

Currently, there are compressors located west of Trail on the Southern Crossing Pipeline, in Kitchener, Midway, Hedley and Kingsvale. Compressor stations will be located on land already owned by FortisBC or on Crown or private land acquired for that purpose.

Gas turbines and centrifugal compressors are the preferred means of compressing the gas in pipeline systems.

The proposed project is expected to generate an estimated 1,750 person years of direct and 950 person years of indirect employment in B.C during construction, as well as providing opportunities for use of local goods and services during construction.

The new line will assist natural gas shippers by improving access to competitively-priced natural gas. FortisBC pledged to use revenues from the pipeline to help offset potential natural gas rate increases over time.

“By expanding our pipeline infrastructure, FortisBC could help provide better access to both the supply and demand markets as gas production grows in BC,” read a project description from FortisBC’s website.

A number of consultation activities will take place through the end of 2012 as FortisBC studies the feasibility of constructing the pipeline, and they vowed to take steps to make sure the public will be included in the process.