Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project by AltaLink

November 2011

Electric system improvements near you Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project Preferred and Alternate Route Update

Did you know? A reliable transmission system keeps costs low by connecting diverse sources of power generation to the grid. Transmission costs make up about 10% of the average residential utility bill. Generation costs – the cost of actually creating power – make up the largest portion of a bill, at more than 50%. The transmission system always connects the lowest priced generator to the grid first, so generators compete to provide Albertans with cost-effective electricity.

You are receiving this newsletter because you are near the proposed Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project and we want your input. We would like to provide you with an update about the Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project. In January 2011, we announced our preferred and alternate routes. Since that time we have continued to meet with landowners located along these proposed routes to discuss the project and gather input. This input has helped us further refine our preferred and alternate routing and add new route segments. Changes to the routing since January 2011 include: • More refined routes: two alternate routes have been identified from the previous alternate routing. • Variant route options: variant routes are a minor variation to the routing and provide additional options. We have added variant route segments to the preferred and alternate routes. • Refined substation connections: we have further refined the configuration of the transmission lines entering and exiting Bullshead and Bowmanton substations.

Definition

Transmission Transmission lines make up Alberta’s electric highway, linking the places where power is generated to where power is used. Transmission lines transport large amounts of power over long distances across the province. The transmission system connects diverse sources of power generation including wind, high-efficiency coal, natural gas and more.

Definition

524

REDCLIFF

nR wa

MEDICINE HAT

r iv e

89 524

South Sask

Facilities Applications

e ch

67 4

Bowmanton 244S

65 8L

South Sask

Definition

MEDICINE HAT 41S

88 523

Veinerville

41A

Dunmore

Roytal

600L

BULLSHEAD 523S

L 80

1 Desert Blume 41A Roytal Veinerville

BULLSHEAD Desert Blume 523S

67 4

8 MEDICINE HAT

523 REDCLIFF

AltaLink submits Facilities Applications to the AUC for review. A Facilities Application describes how AltaLink proposes to meet the requirement for a transmission project. It includes routing details, results of the participant involvement program and technical details. Facilities Applications must be approved by the AUC before construction can begin.

r iv e

R an ew

Bowmanton 244S

The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) ensures the fair and responsible delivery of Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s utility services. AltaLink submits applications for new transmission projects to the AUC and the AUC reviews them in a public process.

Alberta Utilities Commission

Dunmore

Bullshead

LEGEND

LEGEND Approved Substation

Existing Transmission Existing Substation Existing Transmission Approved SubstationLine Hamlet or Locality Preferred Route Line Existing Substation Road Preferred Variant Option Hamlet or Locality Urban Area Preferred Alternate Routes Route Water Body Road Alternate Variant Option

Preferred Variant Option Urban Area Alternate Routes Water Body Alternate Variant Option The refined routes and additional segment options included in this newsletter Upgrade Route Upgrade Route

will be submitted to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) for consideration when we file our Facilities Application in winter 2011/2012. Also included in this newsletter is an overview of temporary workspace needed during project construction, as well as information regarding access trails that will be used during the construction process and beyond.

Preferred and alternate routes

Our updated preferred route is shown below. After further refinement of our original alternate routing we have created alternate routes 1A and 1B, which can be seen below. The original preferred and alternate routing from January 2011 is also shown below. Original preferred and alternate routing

Updated preferred route

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65 er

R iv

r ve

Bowmanton 244S

CHAPPICE LAKE 649S

i h ut n R So ew a tc h ka

Bowmanton

Bowmanton 244S 41

S ou t h S a s k a t 89

524

MEDICINE HAT

Veinerville

MEDICINE HAT 41S 523

Desert Blume

MEDICINE HAT 41S

41A

Veinerville

523 Desert Blume

Roytal

BULLSHEAD 523S

MEDICINE HAT REDCLIFF

524

REDCLIFF

67 4

41A

1 Roytal

BULLSHEAD 523S

Dunmore

Bullshead

600L

Dunmore

LEGEND

Bullshead

LEGEND

Proposed Substation Existing Substation Preferred Route Alternate Routes Upgrade Route

Approved Substation Existing Substation Preferred Route Upgrade Route Other Proposed Routes Existing Transmission Line

Hamlet or Locality Road Urban Area Water Body

Updated alternate route 1B 65

Updated alternate route 1A

Hamlet or Locality Road Water Body Urban Area

Bowmanton 244S

iver he

67 4

524

88 523 Desert Blume

Veinerville

MEDICINE HAT 41S

41A

MEDICINE HAT

ive r

67 4

Roytal

Dunmore

Bullshead

41A

1 Dunmore

Bullshead

Veinerville

Roytal

BULLSHEAD 523S

MEDICINE Desert HAT Blume

523

600L

MEDICINE HAT 41S

600L

REDCLIFF

th Saska tc

R an

Sou

w he

th Saska Sou tc

Bowmanton 244S

LEGEND Approved Substation Existing Substation Alternate Route 1A Upgrade Route Other Proposed Routes Existing Transmission Line

LEGEND Hamlet or Locality Road Urban Area Water Body

Approved Substation Existing Substation Alternate Route 1B Upgrade Route Other Proposed Routes Existing Transmission Line

Hamlet or Locality Road Urban Area Water Body

Town ship Town ship 120 Road Road 120

htS h aSsak s SoSuotu atk a t

er Riv r anRiv e ewan chew ch

ship Town Town ship 120 Road Road 120

89 89 2L 2L

524 524

L 67 4L 67 4

REDCLIFF REDCLIFF

41A Veinerville41A Veinerville

0L 880L 88

523 523

Rangee Rang 62 Road62 Road

41 41

MEDICINEHAT HAT MEDICINE

MEDICINE HAT MEDICINE HAT 41S 41S

1 Desert 1 Desert Blume Roytal Blume Roytal

BULLSHEAD BULLSHEAD 523S 523S

887 799 LL

Dunmore Dunmore

600L 600L

600LL 600

Ra ge Ra nnge Ro 64 Ro aadd64

88779 9LL

BULLSHEAD BULLSHEAD 523S 523S

880LL 880

Bowmanton Bowmanton 244S 244S

86L5 8

Preferred variant route option A variant route option on the preferred route is located in the area south of the Bullshead Substation, along Range Road 63 between Township Roads 120 and 114. This segment is 3.2 kilometres in length and is being proposed as an alternative to the portion of the preferred route in Section 27 and 34-T11-R6 - W4, which is located on private property. Only a single route as approved by the AUC will be constructed.

Bullshead Bullshead

LEGEND Approved Substation Substation Approved Existing Substation Substation Existing

HamletororLocality Locality Hamlet Road Road

Preferred Preferred Variant Variant Option Option Upgrade Upgrade Route Route Other Proposed Routes Proposed Routes Existing Existing Transmission Transmission Line Line

Urban UrbanArea Area Water WaterBody Body

Alternate variant route option

88992L 2L

524 524

e Rvievr anR i ewan hw hce

SSoouuththSSas aksak tat

Town ship Township Road 120 Road120

MEDICINEHAT HAT MEDICINE 41S 41S

L 800L 88

523 523

L 647L4 67

4141

MEDICINEHAT HAT MEDICINE

REDCLIFF REDCLIFF

41A 41A

Veinerville Veinerville

Desert Desert Blume Roytal Blume Roytal

88779 9LL

BULLSHEAD BULLSHEAD 523S 523S

Dunmore Dunmore

600L 600L

Rangee Rang 62 Road 62 Road

600LL 600

88779 9LL

BULLSHEAD BULLSHEAD 523S 523S

Ra n ge R a n ge Roo a 64 R a dd 64

AltaLink’s transmission system efficiently delivers electricity to 85% of Albertans. Dedicated to meeting the growing need for electricity, AltaLink connects Albertans to renewable, reliable and low-cost power. With a commitment to community and environment, AltaLink is ensuring the transmission system will support Albertans’ quality of life for years to come. Learn more at www.altalink.ca

880L 880L

Bowmanton Bowmanton 244S 244S

AltaLink

65 685L 8

A variant route option on the alternate route is also located south of the Bullshead Substation and heads north at Range Road 61A until turning west and paralleling Township Road 120. This segment is three kilometres in length and is being proposed as an alternative to the segment of the alternate routes in Section 35 and 34-T11-R6-W4, which is located on private property. Only a single route as approved by the AUC will be constructed.

Bullshead Bullshead

LEGEND LEGEND Approved Approved Substation Substation Existing Existing Substation Substation Alternate Alternate Variant VariantOption Option Upgrade Upgrade Route Route Other Other Proposed ProposedRoutes Routes Existing Existing Transmission TransmissionLine Line

Hamlet HamletororLocality Locality Road Road Urban UrbanArea Area Water WaterBody Body

Bullshead Substation

880L

At the Bullshead Substation, the existing 138 kV transmission line (879L) will be disconnected from the substation and will be added to the proposed transmission line. The new transmission line will connect to the Bullshead Substation. The below figure shows the proposed configuration at Bullshead Substation.

Bullshead 523S

Proposed 676L/879L (Double Circuit)

879L

600L

Proposed 676L (Single Circuit)

LEGEND Existing Substation Site Preferred Route Existing Transmission Line

Bowmanton Substation

L 67 4

Proposed 892L/675L (DoubleCircuit)

Proposed 676L (SingleCircuit) Proposed 879L/676L (DoubleCircuit)

Did you Know?

65 8

Ran ge Road 43

At the Bowmanton Substation, four structures (which carry five transmission lines) will connect to the Bowmanton Substation. The figure below shows the proposed configuration at Bowmanton Substation.

Proposed 674L (Single Circuit)

Bowmanton 244S

Proposed 879L (Single Circuit)

LEGEND Approved Substation Existing Substation Preferred Route Alternate Routes Salvaged Route

Upgrade Route Existing Transmission Line Road

AltaLink has more than 12,000 kilometres of transmission lines in the province. When a transmission line is removed from service, we ensure the wood poles that once supported electric wires are reused or recycled. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve recycled more than 400 poles to date and are investigating innovative methods like turning the poles into bio-fuel. For more information about AltaLinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental initiatives please visit www.altalink.ca/environment.

Retired ROUTING

A route segment along Highway 41 was removed from consideration after further refining the alternate routing to alternate routes 1A and 1B. Two other segments – one located in an undeveloped road allowance north of Dunmore and one near Desert Blume Golf Course – were identified as having higher environmental impacts and have been removed from consideration. 65

If a structure is located on a road allowance near your property, there may be a need for a temporary workspace and the additional required right‐of‐way located on your property.

please note

R iv

Bowmanton 244S

S ou t h S a s k a t 89

524

L 67 4

MEDICINE HAT REDCLIFF MEDICINE HAT 41S

523 Desert Blume

Veinerville

41A

1 Roytal

600L

BULLSHEAD 523S

Dunmore

Bullshead

LEGEND Approved Substation Existing Substation Retired Route Other Proposed Routes Existing Transmission Line

Hamlet or Locality Road Water Body Urban Area

Easement required

The majority of the preferred and alternate routes are located on road allowances. For the portions that are located on private property, AltaLink will require easements from landowners. An easement may also be required at points where the transmission route turns or is at an angle. The additional area required on property adjacent to a turn or angle is approximately five by five metres (16 by 16 feet). Discussion regarding acquiring these spaces will be negotiated on a individual basis with landowners. Access trails and workspace area

For construction purposes, access trails to the right‐of‐way have been identified along the preferred and alternate routes. These access trails are in areas where access may be limited for a number of reasons, including irrigation canals, ditches or coulees that make driving along the right‐of‐way impractical. In some areas, undeveloped road allowances have also been identified as access trails. Access trails are identified with a dotted brown line on the updated maps included in this package.

Optional temporary workspace and additional required right‐of‐way is needed for the safe construction of the transmission structures including the structure assembly, installation and stringing. At all structure locations, AltaLink will be seeking workspace area in addition to the 20 metre transmission line right‐of‐way. Landowners will receive compensation for both optional temporary workspace and the additional required right‐of‐way. Discussions regarding acquiring these spaces will be negotiated on an individual basis with landowners. What’s next?

We will continue to be available to meet with stakeholders to discuss the project and the updated preferred and alternate routes. We are currently preparing our Facility Application to submit to the AUC in winter 2011/2012. We will notify stakeholders when we file the application. To learn more about the AUC process and how you can become involved, please refer to the brochure included in this package titled Public Involvement in Needs or Facilities Applications.

More information To learn more about the proposed project, please contact: AltaLink

1-877-269-5903 (toll-free) Email: satrinfo@altalink.ca To learn more about Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electric system and the need for the project, please contact: Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)

1-888-866-2959 (toll-free) Email: stakeholder.relations@aeso.ca To learn more about the application and review process, please contact: Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC)

2611 - 3rd Avenue SE Calgary, Alberta T2A 7W7

780-427-4903 (You can call toll-free by dialing 310-0000 before the number) Email: utilitiesconcerns@auc.ab.ca

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