An analysis of the electrical needs to the extensive growth in the region’s mining industry, released by the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), found the existing and proposed transmission system is unable to meet the growing demand.
Iain Angus, the co-chairman of NOMA’s Northwest Energy Task Force, said with the new transmission lines, including the Waasigan Bulk Transmission line, there would be a significant shortfall of power in the Dryden, Red Lake, Ear Falls and Pickle Lake areas.
The Task Force also identified shortfalls in the area north of Nipigon, the immediate Thunder Bay area and in the Shebandowan area to the west.
Angus says that for close to 20 years, they have been taking a look at the details of the proposed mining projects.
“They all have to file documents in terms of various stages of their planning process,” he said, noting they have been studying the electrical needs on a “region-wide basis” and this time, they studied area by area.
“We already knew that the transmission line from Dryden up to Red Lake is almost at its maximum, so it can’t handle anything new,” Angus said. “But then we looked at Pickle Lake, which has got a significant amount of mining activity. The new (Wataynikaneyap) power line and the line from Ear Falls don’t have the capacity to add those new mines in, so we needed to find a solution there.”
Angus explained the Waasigan transmission line, which is currently being built by Hydro One between Shuniah and Atikokan, is a two-circuit line.
“The second phase of it is a single circuit connecting Atikokan to Dryden and we’ve identified that is insufficient to provide the power up there, and it needs to be doubled and they might as well do it now before they start building it because it is expandable,” he said.
“It’s not like they have to reinvent the wheel, but it’s important that they make the decision now to put two circuits.”
Revising plans mid-stream could be costly.
“It doesn’t double it per se, but it certainly will increase the cost. There’s no question about that,” he noted. “But as a bulk transmission line, that cost will be absorbed by the entire ratepayer system across Ontario, as opposed to any one customer paying the upfront capital costs.”
NOMA works closely with Hydro One, which has already recommended to the Independent Electrical System Operator (IESO) that a new twin circuit line go from Dryden to Red Lake.
“And that’s an important step,” Angus said. “The IESO puts it in their plans, which are recommended both to the government and the Ontario Energy Board for approvals. The province needs to declare them priority projects because most of these mines are planning on being in service by 2033, and it takes seven years to build a transmission line.”
Another part is ensuring that there’s sufficient power to Greenstone because several mines are developing there, as well as the connection to the Ring of Fire. He said Ontario’s investment of $75 million, which involves Aroland First Nation planning to bring power into the Geraldton area and then north to the Ring of Fire, is also good news.
“There needs to be work around Thunder Bay, and although it hasn’t been on our radar, there are some mines that are in close proximity,” he said.
“Plus, there’s the potential of new lithium and other ore processing facilities which do require a lot of megawatts. So Thunder Bay needs a solution.”
He added the Community Economic Development Commission, which is a member of the Energy Task Force, together with Synergy North, Hydro One and the IESO have been working on identifying a solution, which makes NOMA “comfortable.”
