I was under the assumption that the 214 mile Montana Alberta Tie Limited (MATL) power line was going forward after the legal wranglings had all been settled.
Seriously, this March 5th, 2009 story from the AP states unequivocally "Work is now set to begin this fall."
In reading about this project on numerous occasions I've never seen any news reports on funding issues, although they could be out there. Late in 2008 there was "news" of $99 million from HSH Nordbank AG (see here).
Now comes news of a stimulus boost from U.S. taxpayers ...
Company, feds discussing support for Montana-Alberta power line July 1, 2009
'The 230-kilovolt line planned by Tonbridge Power Inc. would run from a substation outside of Lethbridge, Alberta, to a substation near Great Falls and would carry power in both directions.
A nonbinding agreement between Tonbridge and the Energy Department’s Western Area Power Administration clears the way for detailed negotiations about financing the project with loans of up to $161 million, drawing on federal economic stimulus money.'
...
'The idea for the transmission line emerged about five years ago. If construction began late this year, the transmission line likely would be ready for use in late 2010, [Robert] van Beers said.
The projected cost of Montana Alberta Tie overall is just over $200 million, he said. Equity in the project totals about $45 million, he said.
[Evan] Barrett said the project is at a stage that fits well with goals of the economic stimulus program.
“It’s exactly what they (officials in the Obama administration) want to have happen, which is to start putting shovels in the ground,” he said.'
...
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Did you get that? Construction of a 214 mile transmission line, whose financial status is now in question and hasn't even broken major ground, would "likely be ready for use" in late 2010. Are we all that gullible? This seems to me like bizarro world at it's finest with the Associated Press leading the charge.
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