Transition documents suggest Biden will scrap Keystone XL pipeline expansion

Two Canadian premiers are reacting angrily to U.S. president-elect Joe Biden’s plan to scrap the Keystone XL pipeline expansion.

Transition documents seen by the Canadian Press suggest Biden will kill the project as soon as Wednesday when he is sworn in as U.S. President.

The Keystone XL expansion is expected to carry up to 830,000 additional barrels a day of diluted bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Alberta’s government announced a $1.5-billion investment in the expansion last year.

Premier Jason Kenney says his government is prepared to use all legal avenues available to protect its interest in the project.

I am deeply concerned by reports that the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden may repeal the Presidential permit for the Keystone XL border crossing next week.

My full statement: pic.twitter.com/vZjun1IdMH

— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) January 18, 2021

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet with Biden to try to get him to change his mind.

Despite the project’s uncertain future, TC Energy Corp. has announced a plan to eliminate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from Keystone XL’s operations.

It said net zero emissions will be achieved when the pipeline is placed into service in 2023 by buying renewable energy from electricity providers and purchasing renewable energy credits or carbon offsets.