Construction has officially started on the Yellowhead Mainline, a $2.9 billion natural gas pipeline project east of Edmonton, with a groundbreaking ceremony held Tuesday.
The pipeline will stretch 235 kilometres between the Peers and Fort Saskatchewan areas and is designed to carry one billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. The gas will supply Dow Chemical’s Path2Zero facility along with other regional customers, including residential users.
Timeline and Jobs
The Yellowhead Mainline was first announced in 2024. According to the Government of Alberta’s major projects website, the pipeline is expected to become operational by the end of 2027. The province estimates that construction of the pipeline will create 2,000 direct jobs.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the project supports broader economic goals for the province. “By strengthening our natural gas infrastructure, we are creating the conditions for greater industrial development, increased economic activity and a more competitive economy,” Smith said in a media release. She added that the pipeline “alone will enable about $20 billion of investments in Alberta, including the DOW Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project.”
Who’s Behind the Project
The Yellowhead Mainline was proposed by Canadian Utilities Ltd., a company owned by ATCO Ltd. ATCO said the pipeline will add capacity to Alberta’s natural gas system and is expected to indirectly generate thousands of additional jobs tied to downstream economic growth in the region.
Further details on the project are available through ATCO’s website.
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