SaskPower is seeing an increase in energy usage as the province has been experiencing substantial growth. Across the province they have been working to upgrade old infrastructure while also building new facilities and transmission lines in order to meet the needs of their customers.
For the immediate area much of the demand for energy is placed on SaskPower by the oil and gas sector on top of residential demand. Thus, they are in the works to establish a new substation in order to provide adequate service.
The proposed facility is to be located northwest of Kisbey with a new 230 kilovolt transmission line connecting to the already existing S2P transmission line west of Forget. Currently there are a couple substations which supply the area, the closest being Stoughton. These facilities are basically stretched to their limits, so it is important for a new facility to be built.
With added pressure from the area it is thought that a new facility is absolutely necessary because estimates done by SaskPower show they may be unable to keep up with demand by 2015 without it. The proposed plan will allow stress being placed on surrounding substations to be lessened and make viable an influx of energy use in the area. Ultimately this will make the overall reliability of the entire system much better.
In relation to their plans SaskPower held an open house on Jan. 30 in Kisbey. A number of SaskPower employees and their hired consultants were present to discuss the proposed transmission line routes in the area with the public.
In the beginning SaskPower had approximately 10 different routes planned. As they began thoroughly searching the feasibility of these routes SaskPower was able to dwindle the list down to three possibilities. The importance of the open house, however, was for SaskPower to receive feedback from those in the area about the proposed routes.
The routes have already been through extensive research to determine the impact on the environment with further field studies to be conducted this spring. The main concern of SaskPower at this time is the Moose Mountain Creek and developing the best way to have the least environmental impact on the area. These field studies will focus on known sensitivities to an area such as flora, fauna, and natural habits including these wetlands.
When determining routes they also take into account where oil wells are, which has been difficult to do as new wells are continuously springing forth. SaskPower likes to have their lines at least 40 to 50 metres from these wells, which was quite a feat when looking at a topographical map outlining rows of wells running north and south in parallel lines as SaskPower intends to run a line east to west. On top of this they like to maximize the distance from residences if possible.
In addition to these three main concerns, SaskPower is always interested in the public's input as they are the ones living in the area and may know of something important which could factor into a route being chosen. The landowners, therefore, are an integral part in SaskPowers choice of route for the transmission line.
"The more we find out, the earlier, the better," Bernie Bolen, manager at SaskPower, explained.
Currently the three different proposed routes have been determined to cover between 14 and 15 kilometres while costing between $3.3 million and $3.63 million.
"It's not always the least costly that wins. Environment, land use, residences are assessed and we try to find the best balance between all of these things. Any one of the three could work, but we need other factors now too," Lynden Penner, a consultant with J.D. Mollard and Associates, stated.
This is why it is important for landowners and residents of the area to become informed about the project in order to give SaskPower the best feedback possible in this upcoming decision. Often all of the information gathered will become contradictory, which is why this process of deciding on a route is so important.
Landowners are being consulted and it is being determined how much of an impact SaskPower will have on the agricultural practices of each. For example, an agreement between a landowner and SaskPower is established through an easement. This will affect how the line is engineered. If the land is cultivated then the infrastructure placed on the land must be tailored to account for the large equipment which will have to manoeuvre around it, while if the land is uncultivated the farmer will not be burdened as much by the structure. This is reflected in the mathematical equation they use to determine how much is paid to the landowner for use of their land.
Following this public consultation conducted on Jan. 30, SaskPower will move to environmental field studies, deciding on the preferred route, and in June a second round of public consultations will be held. The rest of the year will then utilize archaeological studies to verify the route of the line. A submission will be given to the Ministry of Environment, which if approved construction would begin in December.
Plans for engineering and construction are already being thought out, though this is difficult without knowing the exact route the transmission line will take.
"It will be a standard structure and conductor [wires]," Richard McGivern explained.
They need to take into consideration the topographical features they will be crossing to best determine where structures should be placed. They attempt to reduce the overall footprint by finding the shortest course within the chosen route, while using the fewest structures possible. This could mean strategically placing two structures closer together at one section to possibly avoid building in environmentally sensitive areas further down the line.
Construction is planned for December to April, with the current estimated date of energization for the new facility of May. 31, 2014. When building new and replacing old infrastructure SaskPower heavily focuses on the winter months to minimize their impact on agriculture. The optimal time to build being after harvest and before seeding, though they acknowledge this is not always possible; but, are always willing to work with the landowner and compensate them for losses if work is done during the summer months.
This planned substation and transmission line will also be part of a larger energy plan for the area, which is to eventually include a switching station as well. This will ensure less energy lost through transportation from the switching station, to the substation, and finally off to the customers. This will help meet the highest standards of energy service and create a more reliable system for everyone in Saskatchewan.
