Energy Use

Our liquids pipeline transportation systems in Canada and the United States primarily use electrical pumps, while our natural gas gathering and transmission systems mainly use natural gas as fuel. Our Gas Distribution System in Ontario is powered by electricity and natural gas. Diesel fuel and natural gas are used to drive pumps in remote locations along the Enbridge NW System.

Since 2002, we have used "natural flow" rates on our Liquids Pipelines System to increase operating efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The rates are designed to optimize pipeline operating pressures to match equipment and the types of crude oil transported. In 2003, we expanded the use of these rates from peak hours to all periods of operation.

During the year, energy use on the liquids pipeline system was 2,546 gigawatt-hours, enough power to supply 225,000 homes. Energy use on the system was 5% higher than 2002 levels because of increased throughput on the system, including a monthly peak record of 244,790 cubic metres per day reported for December 2003.

In Ontario, Gas Distribution continued to look for opportunities to increase energy efficiencies throughout its buildings. Enhanced building controls, variable speed drives, energy efficient lighting and other upgrades were installed at our main administrative building in Toronto. Thanks to these efforts, we limited energy use at this building to 7.8 million kilowatt- hours in 2003, down 8% from 2002 levels and down 36% from 1990 levels.

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