Industrial Heartland
Why are you building new transmission in the Industrial Heartland area?
The major driver for new transmission in the Industrial Heartland (Sturgeon, Strathcona and Lamont Counties) is to serve the power needs of industry in the region. Additional demand from residential and commercial customers in the area is adding to the need to strengthen the system.
What options are being proposed to meet that need?
After extensive technical and cost analyses and after considering feedback we received from people who attended our public open houses and numerous other presentations and meetings, our system planners identified two strong options for proposed routes that are now with the TFO for additional study. Both options deliver solid benefits including the greatest flexibility, lowest cost and land-use impact and highest reliability over the next 10 years. The first option is a new 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line that would start west of Edmonton and run north and east to the Industrial Heartland area. The estimated cost of this development is approximately $360 million in 2008 dollars. The second and preferred option is a new transmission line that would start from south Edmonton and run north and east into the Industrial Heartland area. The estimated cost of this development is approximately $260 million in 2008 dollars. This line would be built to operate at the higher capacity of 500 kV but would run at 240 kV until additional power is needed. In addition to these major developments, other plans to strengthen the system in the area include new transmission lines to deliver power to proposed industrial projects. The estimated cost of these improvements is about $450 million in 2008 dollars.
What are the next steps?
The TFOs are currently exploring route options both inside and outside the existing transportation utility corridor (TUC) located around the City of Edmonton. These corridors are areas set aside for infrastructure like roads and power lines. The TFOs will identify a preferred route for the transmission line when they prepare their facilities application. We expect to file our need application at the same time as the TFOs file their facilities application. This will likely be in fall 2009. We estimate the facilities could be in service in 2013.
Is there a plan to build a new transmission line to Fort McMurray from the Edmonton area?
The preferred reinforcement option for the Industrial Heartland is a new transmission line that would start from south Edmonton and run north and east into the Industrial Heartland area and would be built to operate at the higher capacity of 500 kV but would run at 240 kV until additional power is needed. This option includes a later stage for two new transmission lines from the Keephills/Lake Wabamun area to Fort McMurray and one from the Industrial Heartland area to Fort McMurray.