Tonbridge Power Inc. Announces Alberta Order-In-Council Granting Access to Surface Rights Board-Provides Land Access and Settlement of Compensation

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Sep 9, 2008 (Marketwire via COMTEX) -- Tonbridge Power Inc. (TBZ) ("Tonbridge" or the "Company"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary as borrower, Montana Alberta Tie Ltd. ("MATL"), is pleased to announce that on September 3, 2008 the Alberta cabinet signed into power an Order-in-Council that designates the Alberta Surface Rights and Compensation Board, ("SRB") as Alberta's provincial regulatory agency with respect to land rights of entry and compensation elements for projects with National Energy Board, ("NEB"), permits. This order (O.C. 435/2008) confirms the jurisdiction of the Surface Rights Board for international power line projects such as MATL that have been granted a Permit by the NEB and a Permit and License by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board. It delegates the authority to the SRB to grant MATL immediate entry to lands along the route approved for MATL's international transmission line should MATL and a landowner not be able to negotiate a mutually satisfactory right-of-way agreement.

MATL preference and continued focus remains the negotiation of mutually acceptable terms of access directly with the landowners along its line route. However, in the event that this is not achieved, immediate access to the applicable land and the appropriate compensation to be paid to the landowner for the rights granted, and the impacts associated with the construction and operation of the international transmission line, would then be determined by the SRB in accordance with its governing legislation.

This Order in Council provides certainty to MATL in gaining timely access to the approved right-of-way and provides prompt recourse to the SRB for the landowner as well. The SRB exercises its mandate under authority of the 1972 Surface Rights Act and its process is well-understood given that the board has ruled on numerous utility pipeline and transmission line access and compensation issues within Alberta.

In response to this development Johan van't Hof, CEO, Tonbridge Power, remarked, "This is an important and positive development in the completion of MATL's regulatory progress. We appreciate the support of the Government of Alberta in providing a proven path to resolving landowner issues using trusted mechanisms. Our strong preference though, continues to be developing trusted relationships with landowners through negotiated arrangements."