Yellowhead Mainline

Route Selection Process

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  3. Yellowhead Mainline Route Selection Process

The Yellowhead Mainline Route Selection Process

Step 1 | Identify Need / Determine System Requirements [COMPLETE]

  • Review system needs considering signed customer contracts and future growth requirements
  • Identify and evaluate possible solutions to meet current and future system needs
  • Determine required connection points and pipeline sizing

Step 2 | Generate Route Options [COMPLETE]

  • The generation of route options is influenced by the following, in no particular order:
    • Avoidance of environmentally sensitive areas
    • Avoidance of areas which may present significant construction difficulties or the potential for long-term, ongoing maintenance or remedial work
    • Parallelling existing linear infrastructure and other linear features such as utility corridors, roadways, railways, and property lines 
    • The overall length of the pipeline and associated construction costs
    • Relatively direct path between required connection points
       
  • For the Yellowhead Mainline Project, the "Routing Overview Map", dated February 26, 2024, represents the Route Options generated by this process

Step 3 | Evaluate Route Options and Select Preliminary Preferred Route [COMPLETE]

  • An evaluation of each route option is conducted based on the following:
    • Stakeholder early engagement (e.g. landowners, Indigenous communities, municipalities, counties, regulators, general public, etc.)
    • Cost estimates
    • Environmental impact
    • Technical complexity, constructability and operational considerations
       
  • Based on the evaluations, a Preliminary Preferred Route will be identified
  • For the Yellowhead Mainline Project, the "Preliminary Preferred Route Map", dated February 21, 2025, represents the Preliminary Preferred Route

Step 4 | Assessment of the Preliminary Preferred Route [IN PROGRESS]

  • Further consultation with the public, Indigenous communities, and landowners along the Preliminary Preferred Route
  • Field assessments of the Preliminary Preferred Route (e.g. survey, environmental, geotechnical)
  • Preliminary design completed for the Preliminary Preferred Route
  • The Preliminary Preferred Route may change based on the results of these processes

Step 5 | Refinement and Confirmation of the Preferred Route

  • The Preliminary Preferred Route may require further refinement as the project moves forward based on the results of more detailed engineering, additional field assessments, and additional landowner or stakeholder input
  • The Preferred Route will be confirmed based on the refinement processes listed above

Step 6 | Application to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC)

  • Once all application requirements have been met, ATCO will apply to the AUC for the Preferred Route, which could include some alternate routing segments
  • Final route could change based on the results of the regulatory process