The Ministry of Natural Resources wishes to advise the public that due to a fire in the Abitibi generating station at Calm Lake, ice conditions on Calm Lake and the Seine River system currently may not be safe.
On or about Dec. 26, the main breaker in the Calm Lake generating station caught fire and the generators quit working. This impeded water flow through the turbines.
Abitibi officials could not assess the damage and water conditions until daylight on Dec. 27, when they moved a 600V diesel generator to the site to lift a number of stop logs.
Water flow was being returned to normal by 2 p.m. on Dec. 27.
However, water levels upstream experienced a modest rise and downstream they experienced a modest decrease. As such, ice conditions may have been affected and water may have flowed on top of the ice.
Therefore, it is advisable for the public to use extreme caution with regard to ice conditions on Calm Lake and the Seine River system upstream and downstream of the dam.
The ice may be unsafe, and it may take extended cold weather for the ice to stabilize.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
