CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Oct. 16, 2014) - AltaGas Ltd. ("AltaGas") (TSX:ALA) today announced that its 195 megawatt (MW) Forrest Kerr run-of-river hydroelectric facility has initiated the final phase to achieve contractual Commercial Operations Date (COD), which involves a 72 hour period of testing to meet specific parameters set forth by BC Hydro.

"We are pleased with the progress made on Forrest Kerr and look forward to achieving COD," said David Harris, Chief Operating Officer of AltaGas. "While we safely commissioned the plant on time and budget, we experienced some unforeseen challenges including significant transmission line constraints and a flooding event on the Iskut River. Our strong relationship with BC Hydro and our dedicated teams enabled us to overcome these challenges."

On July 12, 2014, BC Hydro placed the Northwest Transmission Line (NTL) into service and on July 30, Forrest Kerr was tied-in and delivering power to the NTL at Bob Quinn, British Columbia. Prior to start-up, AltaGas was notified of constraints to the Northwest Transmission Line, which prohibited the systems availability to take full load from Forrest Kerr until September 3, 2014. Further delays to reaching COD were driven by heavy rainfall and extraordinarily high water levels on the Iskut River that occurred in late September. As a precautionary measure AltaGas removed Forrest Kerr from service until commissioning checks could be completed and all units could be safely restarted. Forrest Kerr returned to service on October 11, 2014 and as a result did not contribute materially to the third quarter.

The $725 million Forrest Kerr facility is supported by a 60-year, fully indexed Electricity Purchase Agreement with BC Hydro.

AltaGas is an energy infrastructure business with a focus on natural gas, power and regulated utilities. AltaGas creates value by acquiring, growing and optimizing its energy infrastructure, including a focus on clean energy sources. For more information visit: www.altagas.ca

This news release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to AltaGas or an affiliate of AltaGas, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect AltaGas' current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in AltaGas' public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause AltaGas' actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, sought, proposed, estimated or expected, and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. AltaGas does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

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