Canada’s lead pipeline regulator has voided past decisions on TransCanada Corp. ’s application for its proposed Energy East pipeline, forcing the company to start the hearing process from the beginning shortly after competing pipeline projects have been approved. The National Energy Board’s decision was made by a new hearing panel that was appointed earlier this month. That panel replaced an earlier panel that stepped down in September amid accusations of bias. Past decisions regarding the proposed Eastern Mainline gas pipeline project were also voided. While TransCanada won’t have to submit new applications, once the panel determines that the existing applications are complete, a 21-month time limit for hearings will reset. The decision is a setback for the $15.7 billion ($11.2 billion) Energy East project, which involves building a 4,500 kilometer crude pipeline from the oil fields of Alberta to refineries in Eastern Canada and a marine terminal in New […]