161-kV BlackRock Metals Mining Property Electricity Service P ub l i c Con s ultati o n • September 2012
Mining project in the Nord-du-Québec region
BlackRock Metals Inc. wishes to carry out a mining project east of Lac Chibougamau, about 30 km southeast of the town of Chibougamau and 60 km east of the community of Oujé-Bougoumou. The current project consists of building a 161-kV single-circuit power line, about 25 km long, tapping off circuit 1627 to connect the future BlackRock Metals substation to Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie’s transmission system. The electrical load from all BlackRock Metals mining property facilities will be about 44 MW. Commissioning of this power line is planned for spring 2014. After project completion, Hydro-Québec plans to dismantle part of the existing line (circuit 1627) between Obatogamau substation and the tap-off. Obatogamau substation will also be dismantled as part of another project. Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie has asked Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés to conduct the draft-design studies for the planned supply of the BlackRock Metals mining property.
Environmental studies
Proposed routes
Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés is carrying out environmental inventories and technical surveys in the study area to acquire knowledge about the host environment. These are done based on a clearly established procedure that includes documentary research and site visits and also take into account stakeholder concerns. An environmental impact statement will be submitted in fall 2012 to the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs du Québec in order to obtain the required permits to carry out the project.
Based on the inventory of the biophysical and human environments and the landscape, Hydro-Québec used a number of siting criteria to determine the possible line routes: • Respect of technical constraints • Avoidance of environmentally sensitive areas • Concerns of land users • Integration into the landscape
Tower types and rights-of-way The projected line will be supported by guyed steel towers. These towers are between 36 m and 55 m tall. The average span of 500 m, for 55-m high towers, will keep impact on the land to a minimum. The total width of the right-of-way to be cleared will be about 50 m for suspension towers and 80 m for dead-end towers.
Hydro-Québec has selected two routes: –– Route A is 25.4 km long and is located in the northwestern part of the study area. It avoids many wetlands, it is far from areas frequented by land users and will integrate well into the landscape. –– Route B is 26.4 km long and is located in the middle of the study area. It follows a logging road, is more easily accessible and would allow infrastructure to be grouped together. However, it creates a greater impact on wetlands and is more visible. In terms of technical criteria, it is comparable to Route A. The routes will be compared based on the following main criteria: • Economic: cost • Technical: length, angles and access • Environmental: sensitive areas crossed, land use, social acceptability and landscape
Dismantling The section of the existing line carrying circuit 1627 between the tap-off and Obatogamau substation (about 12 km) will be dismantled. Obatogamau substation will also be disman tled as part of another project.
2
Lac Jenozeau u ea iss u R 74°20'
74°15'
Rau
49°50'
Dorés
Lac Chibougamau
Other road
Mature forest (41 years and over)
Regenerating forest (20 years and less)
Planned substation (private developer)
O59
Transmission substations and lines
Wetland
O57A and O59
161 kV
Exceptional forest ecosystem Exceptional forest ecosystem project
735 kV
1627 Circuit number
Lac des Îles
(voltage color)
Line routes studied
Experimental forest
O57A BlackRock Metals substation
Study area Special-status wildlife species
Lac Armitage
Line to be built Line to be dismantled
Riv iè
re
Arm it
49°45'
age
Biological refuge
nan
O57A
Railway
Young forest (21 to 40 years)
fa g
Town of Chibougamau
R
t ou
u Ro
O59
eA
te
B
Municipality of Baie-James
49°45'
Vegetation and wildlife
e Vill
Baie-James
Cree trapline
Municipality of 49°50'
O59
Main road
Lac aux
74°5'
Municipality
Outfitter without exclusive rights
Trans-Québec snowmobile trail
74°10'
Infrastructure and boundaries
Town of Chibougamau
Vacationing, recreation and tourism
Lac-Ashuapmushuan, NO
Lac Stella
g
Proposed routes
b ec A
Q
y
er n
or
e
No
rt h
T er ri t
gr
ué
ov
er
ne
w ay R ail CN au am ug ibo C h ion To bstat 27 su 16
db yJ
am
167
24
em
es
O59
ent
B ay
Lac Dollier
Lac André
d
an
49°40'
49°40'
O59
aieJ
am
es
Lac Audet
of B
O60
708
Lac de la Besace
alit y
4
Mu nic ip
708 5
70
Lac Boisvert
49°35'
CN
93
Ra
O60
y
74°20'
a ilw
Lacs Obatogamau
49°35'
86
Lac Laurent
Obatogamau substation 74°15'
167
0 74°10'
Document for information purposes only. For any other use, please contact Géomatique at Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés.
74°5'
1,4
2,8 km
MTM, zone 8, NAD83 0901_bu_nu_012_120831a.mxd
3
Project schedule
Public participation
Draft design General information
Favorable reception from local communities is an essential condition for Hydro-Québec projects. To ensure that their concerns are taken into consideration, the company will hold information and consultation sessions with community representatives, including the tallymen affected by the project, while the studies are under way. This will help Hydro-Québec select the route with the least impact on the concerned area.
Spring 2012
Information and consultation
Summer 2012
Information on route selected
Fall 2012
PROJECT Filing of environmental impact statement Permitting Construction Commissioning
Fall 2012 Summer 2013 Winter 2013-2014 Spring 2014
www.hydroquebec.com/projects
Information Richard Simard Advisor – Community Relations and Special Projects Telephone: 418 748-8200, extension 8319 Toll-free: 1 800 679-9919, option 5 simard.richard.3@hydro.qc.ca Jimmy Lavoie Advisor – Aboriginal Affairs and Special Projects Telephone: 418 748-8200, extension 8339 Toll-free: 1 800 679-9919, option 4 lavoie.jimmy@hydro.qc.ca Direction régionale – La Grande Rivière 511, route 167 Sud C. P. 100 Chibougamau (Québec) G8P 2K5
2012E1079-A
Printed on paper made in Québec from 100% postconsumer recycled fibre.
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