TC Energy has agreed to pay a $26.9 million penalty to settle charges related to a major crude oil spill in Kansas.
The settlement resolves the regulatory aftermath of a pipeline rupture that occurred in December 2022, ending a period of uncertainty for the operator regarding the incident's financial and legal liabilities.
The penalty addresses the release of nearly 13,000 barrels of heavy crude oil into a creek in Washington County, Kansas.
The spill occurred in a rural pasture approximately 150 miles northwest of Kansas City, causing significant environmental contamination that required extensive cleanup efforts.
By agreeing to the fine, TC Energy finalizes the cost of the incident, which had remained an open item on the company's risk ledger since the rupture.
This development marks the conclusion of a long-tail regulatory process for the Keystone system operator.