More than 250 jobs will be created to carry out maintenance on the Western Transmission Gas Line from Salvus to Galloway now that Pacific Northern Gas (PNG) has received approval from the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
In an announcement on July 14, PNG stated the working project which has been issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity will occur over a three-year period starting in 2021 and ending in 2023.
“As we begin project work, PNG is committed to providing project-related employment and business opportunities for local and Indigenous businesses in the vicinity of the project and within PNG’s service territory,” Dean Rawson, vice president, operations and engineering of PNG said.
The project is expected to create direct and indirect jobs in the region, he said.
“The work is required at this time to ensure PNG can continue to provide safe and reliable natural gas service to its customers in the Prince Rupert and Port Edward areas,” Rawson said.
The decision by the BCUC to approve the application for the work endeavour will enable the gas company to commence critical repairs and replacement work along the 80 km segment from the Salvus maintenance yard to the Galloway pressure regulating station, Rawson said.
Work will be completed under the guidance of trained environmental specialists, archeologists and Indigenous environmental monitors to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife, the habitat, cultural values, and environmentally sensitive and protected areas, the company stated.
PNG stated that its top priority for projects and day-to-day operations is the environment as well as safety of employees, contractors, and the public. Project communications with Indigenous communities, local governments, and the public commenced in summer 2020. Public information and engagement will continue through all project phases, the gas company stated.
All repairs and replacement work along the existing pipeline corridor plus temporary work sites will adhere to safety requirements, federal and provincial environmental guidelines, as well as PNG’s environmental management and archaeological mitigation plans.
The company stated that following work all sites will be restored.
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