WATCH: TransCanada president of natural gas pipelines Karl Johannson tries to reassure residents following the pipeline explosion
The natural gas pipeline that blew up in southern Manitoba was built in the 1960s, had its last major inspection in 2009 and was found to be “in very good condition,” officials said Monday.
An explosion early Saturday in the pipeline near Otterburne affected three pipelines and cut service to several communities. Some 4,000 residents were still without heat Monday in bitterly cold weather.
Service could resume in some communities later Monday and into Tuesday, as TransCanada crews excavate the blast site and make repairs. Line 1 is most damaged and will be bypassed; Line 2 is being repaired.
It’s still not clear what caused the blast.
“We simply do not know at this time,” said Karl Johannson, TransCanada executive vice-president and president of natural gas, at a news conference in Île-des-Chênes Monday. He added it could take weeks to determine the cause of the rupture in the pipe officials say was 75 centimetres across and coated in tar.
“Pipelines properly maintained will last a long time,” Johannson said, adding that the age of the pipelines is not a concern. The pipelines are inspected annually, but major inspections that include sending cameras into the pipes to check for corrosion or other damage are only done occasionally. A major inspection on the line that exploded Saturday was last done in 2009.
“We put the proper maintenance into them and I don’t think residents should be concerned,” Johannson said.
Individuals who incurred costs, such as buying space heaters or staying in hotels, will be compensated by TransCanada, he said.
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