TC PipeLines, LP closes acquisition of additional interest in Northern Border Pipeline
CALGARY, Alberta – April 6, 2006 – (NASDAQ: TCLP) –TC PipeLines, LP (the Partnership) today announced it has closed its acquisition of an additional 20 per cent general partnership interest in Northern Border Pipeline Company (NBPL), a Texas general partnership, for approximately $297 million plus $10 million in transaction costs payable to a subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada). The Partnership will also indirectly assume approximately $120 million of debt of NBPL. The transaction is effective as of December 31, 2005. The Partnership now holds a 50 per cent interest in NBPL.
Concurrent with this transaction, TransCanada closed the sale of its 17.5 per cent general partner interest in Northern Border Partners, L.P. to a subsidiary of ONEOK, Inc. (ONEOK) for a net payment of approximately $29.5 million. TransCanada is the parent company of TC PipeLines GP, Inc., the sole general partner of TC PipeLines, LP.
As part of the transaction, and effective by early second quarter 2007, a subsidiary of TransCanada will become the operator of NBPL which is currently operated by Northern Plains Natural Gas Company, LLC, a subsidiary of ONEOK.
The Partnership funded the transaction at closing through a floating rate bridge loan facility. The Partnership intends to refinance the bridge loan with a combination of equity and debt.
With capacity of 2.4 billion cubic feet per day, the 1,249-mile Northern Border Pipeline is the largest natural gas pipeline connecting the Alberta hub with growing U.S. markets, transporting natural gas from the Montana-Saskatchewan border, where it connects to TransCanada’s Foothills System, to interconnecting pipelines in the upper Midwestern United States. Northern Border Pipeline Company provides its shippers access to markets in the Midwest through interconnecting pipeline facilities, as well as direct access to Chicago markets. Northern Border Pipeline shippers can arrange transportation with third parties to provide access beyond Chicago to markets throughout the United States.
TC PipeLines, LP is a publicly traded limited partnership. It owns a 50 per cent interest in Northern Border Pipeline Company, a Texas general partnership, and a 49 per cent interest in Tuscarora Gas Transmission Company, a Nevada general partnership. Northern Border Pipeline owns a 1,249-mile United States interstate pipeline system that transports natural gas from the Montana-Saskatchewan border to markets in the midwestern United States. Tuscarora owns a 240-mile United States interstate pipeline system that transports natural gas from Oregon where it interconnects to TransCanada’s Gas Transmission Northwest System. TC PipeLines, LP is managed by its general partner, TC PipeLines GP, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation. TC PipeLines GP, Inc., also holds common units of the Partnership. Common units of TC PipeLines, LP are quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market and trade under the symbol “TCLP.”
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