For Immediate Release
News Release
TAMA Transmission – A New Player in Alberta Transmission
Bringing competitive, reliable transmission to Albertans
CALGARY, ALBERTA (May 9, 2013) –TransAlta Corporation (TSX: TA; NYSE: TAC) and
MidAmerican Transmission today announced the creation of a new strategic partnership, TAMA
Transmission.
TAMA Transmission combines TransAlta’s strength in power generation and long operating
history in Alberta, with MidAmerican Transmission’s and its parent company MidAmerican
Energy Holdings Company’s success and vast experience in transmission development,
construction, operations and maintenance in North America. The creation of TAMA
Transmission builds on an existing successful relationship with the TAMA Power partnership.
“TransAlta’s core market is Alberta, where we’ve supplied electricity to wholesale and retail
customers for over a hundred years. By combining our home market expertise with
MidAmerican’s superb construction management and operating skills, we are positioned to serve
Albertans with competitive, low-cost and reliable transmission infrastructure,” said Dawn
Farrell, TransAlta president and CEO.
This announcement signals TAMA Transmission’s intention to participate in the Alberta Electric
System Operator’s competitive bid process to become the developer, owner and operator of the
Fort McMurray West Transmission Project. The project is being developed to support Alberta’s
critical transmission infrastructure.
“MidAmerican Transmission, through this new Canadian partnership, looks forward to the
opportunity to participate in this process to help unlock the significant value the Fort McMurray
West Transmission Project can bring to Alberta. We are well-positioned to provide cost-effective
transmission solutions to customers based on our experience with delivering large complex
projects into service on time and within budget commitments,” said Greg Abel, MidAmerican
Energy Holdings Company chairman, president and CEO.
Development of the Fort McMurray West Transmission Project is necessary to meet the growth
of that area of the province and will help oil sands development, one of the big contributors to
Alberta’s and Canada’s economies, to continue at pace. The competitive process gives new
players, like TAMA Transmission, a fair opportunity to enter the transmission market. The
process also brings competitive pressures to bear on transmission costs and helps ensure the
project’s timely completion.
Cynthia Johnston will serve as the president of TAMA Transmission. Ms. Johnston has 27 years
of electric industry experience in Alberta, including senior executive roles at TransAlta and
FortisAlberta Inc.
TransAlta
TransAlta has been operating in Alberta for over 100 years and helped build and operate Alberta’s
original transmission infrastructure. As an area where TransAlta already has expertise, transmission is
a natural fit with its operating model.
TransAlta is a power generation and wholesale marketing company focused on creating long-term
shareholder value. TransAlta maintains a low-to-moderate risk profile by operating a highly contracted
portfolio of assets in Canada, the United States and Australia. TransAlta’s focus is to efficiently operate
geothermal, wind, hydro, natural gas and coal facilities in order to provide customers with a reliable,
low-cost source of power. For over 100 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud
contributor to the communities in which it works and lives. TransAlta has been selected by JantziSustainalytics as one of Canada’s Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies since 2009 and is recognized
globally for its leadership on sustainability and corporate responsibility standards by FTSE4Good.
TransAlta is Canada’s largest investor-owned renewable energy provider.
MidAmerican Transmission
MidAmerican Transmission, a wholly owned subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company,
based in Des Moines, Iowa, is engaged in the development of electric transmission facilities.
MidAmerican Transmission has invested in transmission in several regions in the U.S. and is evaluating
opportunities to further develop electric transmission facilities in organized and traditional markets in
the U.S. and Canada. Additional information about MidAmerican Transmission is available at
www.midamericantransmission.com.
Through its subsidiaries, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company provides electric and natural gas
service to more than 7 million customers worldwide, operates an extensive 18,000-mile electric
transmission system, a natural gas local distribution system, and interstate natural gas pipeline
systems totaling nearly 17,000 miles. Learn more at www.midamerican.com.
This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the
business and anticipated financial performance of TransAlta Corporation. These statements are based
on TransAlta Corporation’s belief and assumptions based on information available at the time the
assumption was made. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements.
Some of the factors that could cause such differences include legislative or regulatory developments
and general economic conditions in geographic areas where TransAlta Corporation operates.
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For more information:
Media inquiries:
Stacey Hatcher, TransAlta
Tina Potthoff, MidAmerican Transmission
Senior Corporate Relations Advisor
Media Relations Manager
Toll Free Media Number: 1-855-255-9189 or 515-281-2585
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Investor inquiries:
Brent Ward, TransAlta
Director, Corporate Finance and Investor Relations
Toll Free: 1 800-387-3598
Email: [email protected]