TransCanada CEO bullish on HSS use but expects tags to fall

Dec 14, 2008 | 07:00 PM |

TransCanada Corp. buys a lot of steel pipe, so when the company's top executive takes a little time to chat, Perspectives listens.

The Calgary, Alberta-based energy infrastructure company was earlier this month awarded a license to build a massive natural gas pipeline to run from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay to Alberta.

So is TransCanada President and Chief Executive Harold Kvisle ready to party? Not exactly—he's seen enough projects get delayed, tied up in permitting and even threatened by cancellation to get too excited too quickly.

"I just tell people, 'It's always ten years away from whenever we're talking about it,'" he quipped.

Perspectives spoke with Kvisle on the sidelines of a recent Argyle Executive Forum in New York.

Kvisle's firm was boosted over other big energy players for the huge North Slope project by none other than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Perspectives was tempted to ask gossipy questions about the former vice presidential candidate Does the maverick miss the campaign trail? Is she hot? And what does she really think of Tina Fey?....