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The following is the introduction to the final environmental and socio-economic impact assessment of the proposed reinforcement of Kingston's natural gas pipeline. You can download the complete report in PDF format using the links at right.

Utilities Kingston proposes to construct and operate a high-pressure steel pipeline to reinforce the supply of natural gas in the Kingston area.

Current gas demand in the Kingston area is supplied by Utilities Kingston through a single natural gas main originating at the Glenburnie Gate Station. A new pipeline is needed to reinforce this supply of natural gas to:

Provide additional service to the Joseph P. Clyde Industrial Park (referred to herein after as Industrial Park), which requires additional gas pressure to allow for new customers;
Have a second source of gas supply, which strengthens the reliability of the gas distribution system as a whole in Kingston; and,
Support a new 15 Megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired cogeneration plant, which is proposed by Queen's University and Kingston General Hospital, both of which require additional gas supplies.

The proposed pipeline will be approximately 15 kilometres in length and it will run within current road rights of way for most of its length. The pipeline will originate from an existing city gate station in Glenburnie, connect with a pressure regulation station within the Joseph P. Clyde Industrial Park and end at the Queen's University Central Heating Plant (CHP) to service a proposed 15 MW co-generation plant. From Glenburnie to John Counter Boulevard at Sir John A. MacDonald Blvd., the pipeline will be 323.9 mm (12 inches) in diameter. From John Counter Boulevard at Sir John A. MacDonald Blvd., to the proposed co-generation plant, it will be 219 mm (8 inches) in diameter.

The environmental assessment was conducted between August and November of 2004. This environmental assessment report will be submitted to the Ontario Pipeline Coordinating Committee (OPCC) during the winter of 2004-2005 for review. Utilities Kingston plans to file a "Leave to Construct" Application with the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) during the winter of 2004-2005. If approved by the OEB, project construction is planned for the spring/summer of 2005, to meet an in-service date of November, 2005.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY

SENES Consultants Limited (SENES) was retained by Utilities Kingston to undertake an environmental and socio-economic impact assessment to select a Preferred Route for the new pipeline and to identify any environmental or socio-economic impacts associated with the Preferred Route. Mitigation measures designed to minimize impacts were also developed as part of the study. The study results were documented in this environmental report, which conforms with the OEB's Environmental Guidelines for the Location, Construction, and Operation of Hydrocarbon Pipelines and Facilities in Ontario (Fifth Edition, 2003).

NEED FOR NEW FACILITIES

Utilities Kingston supplies natural gas to the City of Kingston from a single gas main, a 219 mm (8 inches) pipeline constructed in 1958. Industrial and residential demand for gas in the City of Kingston has increased over the years, and more supply is required to guarantee gas flow to both existing clients and to future tenants in the Industrial Park. A new main between the Glenburnie Gate Station and the Industrial Park will serve the dual purpose of reinforcing gas supply to the City of Kingston and ensuring future capacity. A main extension from the Industrial Park to the Queen's University Control Plant ensures adequacy of supply for a planned 15 MW cogeneration plant.

RATIONALE FOR SELECTION OF STUDY AREA

The study area is defined by the goal to arrive at the key service points (Industrial Park, John Counter Boulevard at Sir John A. MacDonald Blvd., and the Queen's Central Heating Plant) in the most direct route possible to minimize the overall length of the pipeline and the associated construction costs.

The north and south limits of the study area are defined by the start and end points of the pipeline. The western and eastern limits of the study area are defined by practicality and cost in terms of providing a range of route alternatives that link the gate station and the end point Queens University Central Heating Plant over the least distance. This provides for a reasonable number of route alternatives from the gate station in Glenburnie to the Industrial Park, which is located south of Highway 401.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

This reinforcement pipeline is being planned in accordance with OEB regulations. The OEB is a regulatory body that ensures that energy projects are in the public's interest, are necessary and that they meet all health, safety and environmental standards and regulations.

In order to gain approval from the OEB, Utilities Kingston will be filing a "Leave to Construct" application which will include this environmental report. The environmental report documents the decision making process for the identification of alternative routes and selection of the preferred route, as well as the process for identifying and addressing municipal, provincial and federal agency concerns as well as concerns identified by landowners and the general public.

Once completed, the environmental report is circulated to affected Municipalities, Conservation Authorities and the Ontario Pipeline Co-ordinating Committee (OPCC), which is a group comprised of provincial government ministries. If requested, the environmental report is also circulated to landowners adjacent to the Preferred Route and to interest groups. Prior to submission of the "Leave to Construct" application to the OEB, Utilities Kingston should resolve all outstanding issues. The OEB may order a written or oral hearing, based upon the complexity of the project issues and the level of public concern.

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