VANCOUVER, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Canada's energy regulator on Thursday said it had given the go-ahead for the construction of a large portion of the Trans Mountain expansion project, which will nearly triple capacity on the oil pipeline from Alberta to a Vancouver area port.
The National Energy Board (NEB) said all conditions had been met for construction to go ahead on Segments 1-4, which cover a vast swath of land from Edmonton, Alberta to Kamloops, British Columbia.
The Canadian government agreed in May to buy the existing pipeline and expansion project from Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) Canada KML.TO , hoping to save a project that faces formidable political and environmental opposition. is already underway at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Vancouver, with preliminary work happening at Kinder Morgan's terminal and tank farm in Burnaby.
The NEB said 72 percent of the detailed final route for the pipeline had been approved, with hearings on the last segment set for October.