Enbridge spills 19,500 barrels of crude oil into tributary of Kalamazoo River in Michigan

Enbridge Energy Partners Lakehead System Pipeline Leaks Crude Oil Near Marshall, Michigan

HOUSTON, TEXAS, Jul 26, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: EEP) (the "Partnership") reported today that a pipeline on its Lakehead System leaked at approximately 9:45 a.m. CDT near the company's Marshall, Mich., pump station. Initial estimates are that approximately 19,500 barrels of crude oil may have been released as a result. The pipeline was shut down and isolation valves were closed, stopping the source of the oil.

No one was injured. Oil was released into a creek; the affected creek is a tributary of the Kalamazoo River, and Enbridge confirms that oil has entered the river. Enbridge crews, complemented by contract resources, were immediately dispatched to the site and are deploying oil skimmers and absorbent booms on the creek and river to minimize environmental impacts.

"Enbridge is treating this situation as a top priority," said Terrance McGill, President of the Partnership. "We are bringing all available resources to bear -- ranging from emergency response and containment personnel to environment and water quality specialists.

"Safety is a top priority and the Partnership will do our utmost to minimize the impact on the environment, neighboring landowners and communities. Enbridge's environmental response team is working closely with local agencies and all emergency officials to complete the clean up as quickly as possible."

Enbridge has notified and is working with the appropriate regulators and emergency officials. The cause of the release has not been determined and is being investigated.

At this time, Enbridge does not have an estimated time for restart of the line.

Line 6B is a 30-inch, 190,000 bpd line transporting light synthetics, heavy and medium crude oil from Griffith, Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario. It is part of the Partnership's Lakehead System.

About Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (www.enbridgepartners.com) owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States, including the Enbridge North Dakota System. Its principal crude oil system is the largest transporter of growing oil production from western Canada. The system's deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for approximately 12 per cent of total U.S. oil imports; while deliveries to Ontario, Canada satisfy approximately 60 per cent of refinery demand in that region. EEP's natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets, which are principally located onshore in the active U.S. Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast area, deliver approximately 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily.

Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. (NYSE: EEQ) (www.enbridgemanagement.com) manages the business and affairs of EEP and its sole asset is an approximate 14 per cent interest in EEP. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, is the general partner and holds an approximate 27 percent interest in EEP.

This news release includes forward-looking statements and projections, which are statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements frequently use the following words, variations thereon or comparable terminology: "anticipate," "expect," or "will." Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are not guarantees of performance. Future actions, conditions or events and future results of operations may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine these results are beyond Enbridge Partners' ability to control or predict. Reference should also be made to Enbridge Partners' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently completed fiscal year, for additional factors that may affect results. These filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC's web site (www.sec.gov) and via the Partnership's web site.

Contacts:

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
Larry Springer
Media
(713) 821-2253 or Toll free: (877) 496-8142
usmedia@enbridge.com

Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
Douglas Montgomery
Investment Community
Toll-free: (866) EEP INFO or (866) 337-4636
eep@enbridge.com
http://www.enbridgeus.com/

SOURCE: Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.

mailto:usmedia@enbridge.com
mailto:eep@enbridge.com
http://www.enbridgeus.com/