The outcome of the hearing, which is unlikely to take place before 2014, may have far-reaching implications for the transmission industry, industry sources told TransmissionHub.
The Alberta Utilities Commission turned aside challenges to the decision approving the line and its alignment; line will not be partially undergrounded, as some opponents had sought.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC)’s critical infrastructure protection (CIP) reliability standards.
The bill amends Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to clarify that when an electric generator is operating under a certain emergency directive to generate or transmit electricity, it will not be considered in violation of environmental laws or regulations.
Given his lack of an extensive political or energy industry background, opponents of power projects in the province approved under the previous Legislature said Kenneth Gardner Hughes is something of an unknown.
The bill, which stems from two 2011 storms that left many people without power, would also take steps to facilitate the undergrounding of power and telecommunications lines.
NERC disappointed by FERC’s "decision to litigate" contested aspects of its audit; charges the Office of Enforcement of refusing to work toward resolution, “as is the norm”.
Policy Intelligence
The group says FERC’s refusal to rehear Order 1000 amounts to an “unprecedented effort” to reset the rules for the nation’s grid. 
