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“Having been in a training mode over the last several months, the operations team is excited and ready to begin their new responsibilities in operating and maintaining the pipeline,” says Dan Scheifele, manager, Tamazunchale operations and maintenance. “We have been fortunate to assist the project through the commissioning phase as it provided an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the latest in technology using the equipment provided.”
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox and senior Mexican government and energy industry representatives joined Hal Kvisle, TransCanada's Chief Executive Officer, in inaugurating TransCanada’s new Tamazunchale Pipeline at an on-site event on Oct. 25, 2006. Addressing close to 300 guests at the event, Hal said that TransCanada is proud to contribute to meeting Mexico’s energy needs and to support Mexico’s natural gas for this regional development initiative. “The Tamazunchale Pipeline is a significant accomplishment and one that lays a foundation for potential future initiatives in Mexico. Mexico is an integral component of the broader North American gas market, and a market where we can deploy our broad experience and competitive advantage, to the benefit of both Mexico and our customers,” said Hal.
The pipeline is designed to transport initial volumes of 170 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). Under the contract, the capacity of the Tamazunchale Pipeline will be expanded beginning in 2009 to approximately 430 MMcf/d in order to meet the needs of two additional proposed power plants near Tamazunchale.
TransCanada has significant pipeline experience in Mexico. We were the project manager, operator and largest partner in the 700-kilometre (435 miles) Energia Mayakan natural gas pipeline project in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula – the first pipeline of its kind in Mexico to have been awarded to the private sector. TransCanada was also the project manager, operator and owner of the 200-kilometre (124.3 miles) El Bajio natural gas pipeline project. TransCanada sold our interests in these projects in 2000.
TransCanada expects the Mexican natural gas market, currently at six billion cubic feet per day, to grow to nine billion cubic feet per day by 2013 providing additional opportunities to invest in that country.
For more information, contact tamazunchale@transcanada.com. | 
