TORONTO (Standard & Poor's) April 12, 2006--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said its ratings and outlook on Alberta-based AltaLink, L.P. (AltaLink; A-/Stable/--) and parent AltaLink Investments, L.P. (AILP; BBB-/Stable/--) are not affected by Alberta's Energy and Utilities Board's announced reopening of a previous regulatory decision. The decision approved the need for a new 500kV transmission line between Edmonton and Calgary. Further review will go forward despite, in the regulator's own words, "an adequate hearing process" that led to its July 2005 approval to proceed with the proposed route. AltaLink has been involved in landowner consultations for the past 10 months. Should AltaLink have to restart the consultation process based on a different route and a new set of landowners,
