AESO cancels proposed Pincher Creek area transmission line, citing lack of investment

After being in the works for years, the Alberta Electric System Operator has scrapped a proposed new transmission line in the Pincher Creek area.

In a Dec. 1 cancellation notice, the AESO says it cancelled the Chapel Rock–to–Pincher Creek project, which also included a proposed new substation, after “extensive planning, stakeholder engagement, and a reassessment of interest in new electricity generation in the Pincher Creek area.”

“The AESO has determined that the proposed 240 kV transmission circuit and substation are no longer required to meet Alberta’s

electricity needs,” it said.

The AESO’s notice says investment in new electricity generation “ultimately did not materialize” in the Pincher Creek area, and, due to this, the project was no longer needed.

Work had been paused in 2020