CALGARY, ALBERTA — (Marketwire) — 10/13/11 — Enbridge Inc. (TSX: ENB) (NYSE: ENB) announced today the closing of its acquisition through a plan of arrangement of all outstanding common shares of Tonbridge Power Inc. (“Tonbridge”) for $20 million.
As part of the plan of arrangement, Enbridge will also repay approximately $50 million of debt incurred in the development of the Montana-Alberta Tie-Line (MATL) power transmission project being developed by Tonbridge. Enbridge will also inject further funding to complete the first 300 megawatt (MW) phase of MATL as well as a low cost expansion to 550-600 MW. The total cost to Enbridge for both phases of MATL is expected to be approximately $300 million, of which approximately half is being funded through a low cost 30-year loan from the Western Area Power Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy.
MATL is a 345-kilometer transmission line from Great Falls, Montana to Lethbridge, Alberta, designed to take advantage of a growing supply of electric power in Montana, including green power production, and the buoyant power demand of Alberta. Required permits for the first phase of MATL have been obtained and the project has secured long-term, take-or-pay contracts for the system–s entire northbound capacity. In addition, Tonbridge also has a 200-km southern extension of MATL, the Green Line, in early development.
“We are delighted to welcome the Tonbridge team to Enbridge,” said Richard Bird, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Development, Enbridge Inc. “Tonbridge management will bring their power transmission project development expertise and experience, and with Enbridge adding our strong core competencies in project management and execution, we will focus on bringing the line into service in mid-2012. We also look forward to working with our new team to act on future opportunities to grow and expand our power transmission business.”
About Enbridge Inc.
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian company, is a North American leader in delivering energy and one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world–s longest crude oil and liquids transportation system. The Company also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering, transmission and midstream businesses, and an increasing involvement in power transmission. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada–s largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. As a generator of energy, Enbridge has interests in close to 860 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity and is expanding its interests in wind and solar energy, geothermal and hybrid fuel cells. Enbridge employs approximately 6,400 people, primarily in Canada and the U.S. and is ranked as one of Canada–s Greenest Employers, and one of the Top 100 Companies to Work for in Canada. Enbridge–s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ENB. For more information, visit .
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate”, “expect”, “project”, “estimate”, “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Enbridge believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties pertaining to operating performance, regulatory parameters, weather, economic conditions and commodity prices. You can find a discussion of those risks and uncertainties in our Canadian securities filings and American SEC filings. While Enbridge makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Enbridge assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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