Waneta expansion project community impact management committee formed
By Nelson Daily Staff
Partners in the Waneta Expansion Project — Columbia Power Corporation, Fortis Inc., and Columbia Basin Trust — have formed and hosted an introductory meeting for the Waneta Expansion Community Impact Management Committee (CIMC).
“We have put together a great cross section of representatives to act as community liaisons through the Waneta project, both elected and non-elected,” said Ali Grieve, Area A director for the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
Comprised of 26 individuals that include members of local and regional government, business, community and residential interest groups, the committee will meet once a month throughout the construction of the project to provide a means for committee members to bring forward community interests and other feedback regarding the project. The committee will work with an independent socio-economic monitor who will evaluate and document the effects of the project on the communities of the Greater Trail area. Resulting quarterly and annual socio-economic reports will be made available to the public.
The committee will act as a conduit between all parties to mitigate negative effects from project construction (i.e. dust and noise) and keep the community apprised of construction progress.
Currently, the Waneta contractor is mobilizing for project construction, which will begin early in 2011. Crews are clearing land across from the Trail airport, which will house the offices and laydown areas.
Security fencing is being installed around the entire perimeter and water and electrical lines, as well as sewage facilities are being installed. Once the necessary infrastructure is in place, modular office trailers will arrive.
Staff are scheduled to move into the office complex on March 1, 2011.
A few kilometers down the highway at the project site, the contractor is also conducting preliminary work prior to construction beginning. Fencing and site trailers are being installed, as well as water and sewage facilities.
Sub-contractors are also mobilizing to begin work in the new year.
To find out more about the Waneta Expansion Project and past Community Impact Management Committees, please visit www.columbiapower.org.
Waneta Expansion Project
• The Project will see the construction of a second powerhouse to share the hydraulic head created by the existing Waneta Dam (owned by Teck and BC Hydro).
• This 335-megawatt hydroelectric project is a unique opportunity to obtain large amounts of clean hydroelectric energy without building a new dam.
• An intake structure will control flow from the Waneta headpond through parallel tunnels that will supply two Francis turbines in the new powerhouse.
• Excavated rock will be quarried within seven km of the site and will be available for re-use in future highway and other infrastructure projects in the area.
• As part of the project, a 10-km transmission line will be built and will parallel the existing BC Hydro high voltage line from Waneta to the Selkirk Substation.
• Project duration — 4.5 years.
• Owners — Fortis Inc. (51%); Columbia Power Corporation (32.5%); Columbia Basin Trust (16.5%).
• Contractor — SNC-Lavalin Inc.; Sub-contractors—ASL JV (a joint venture of AECON and SNC-Lavalin Inc.
• Employment — Over 400 jobs. It is anticipated that approximately 85 per cent of the workforce will be local workers (within 100km of the project). There will be equity hiring provisions and apprenticeship opportunities.
• Approximately $200 million will be paid in wages and benefits.
• Local spending for goods and services is expected to be approximately $178 million.
• FortisBC (a subsidiary of Fortis) will purchase capacity from the project.
• Energy from the project will be sold to BC Hydro.
• Once constructed, the new facility will be operated and maintained by FortisBC under agreement with the Partnership. FortisBC provides comparable services to its own facilities, as well as those of several other facility owners in the region;
