161-kV BlackRock Metals Mining Property Electricity Service GENER AL INFORMATIO N • May 2012
Project justification BlackRock Metals Inc. wishes to carry out a mining project south of Lac Chibougamau, about 30 km southeast of the town of Chibougamau and 60 km east of the community of Oujé-Bougoumou. The electrical load from all BlackRock Metals mining property facilities will be about 20 MW in 2014, reaching 44 MW in 2020. The current project consists of building a power line to connect the future BlackRock Metals substation to Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie’s transmission system. Commissioning of this power line is planned for spring 2014. 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.
Project description
Study area
The project involves building a 161-kV single-circuit line about 30 km long, tapping off circuit 1627 to the planned substation for the mine.
The zone under study covers an area of just over 140 km2 (see map) south of Lac Chibougamau, on the territory governed by the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. It consists entirely of Category III lands, split between the municipalities of Baie-James and Chibougamau.
After project completion, Hydro-Québec plans to dismantle part of the existing line (circuit 1627) between the tap-off and Obatogamau substation. The Obatogamau substation will also be dismantled as part of another project. The construction of the transformer substation on the mine site is the responsibility of the BlackRock Metals promoter and not part of this project.
The study area crosses a few traplines used by members of the Cree Nation of Oujé-Bougoumou. The tallymen and their families hunt, fish and trap on the traplines. Route 167 is the only road that crosses the study area, running east-west at its southern end. A 161-kV power line runs along this road and a 735-kV line also crosses the study area. Last, a railway and many logging roads are also found in the study area. The region, which is essentially woodland, is characterized by the presence of many lakes, wetlands and rivers. The main human activities practiced are logging, traditional Aboriginal activities and recreational activities.
Environmental assessment The construction of a power line can have a number of different environmental impacts. Hydro-Québec recently began draft-design studies, which will help determine the route with the least impact on the host environment. The studies will examine matters such as vegetation, wildlife, land use, and landscape. Filing of the environmental assessment needed to obtain the required government permits is planned for fall 2012.
2
Lac Jenozeau u ea ss i Ru Vacationing,74°20' recreation and tourism
74°15' Boundaries
Cree trapline
Rau
Infrastructure
Vegetation and wildlife
e Vill
fa g
Baie-James
O59
Trans-Québec snowmobile trail
nan
Main road Other road
49°50'
O57A
Railway
Regenerating forest (20 years and less)
Planned substation (BlackRock Metals)
Wetland Exceptional forest ecosystem
Transmission substations and lines
Exceptional forest ecosystem project Experimental forest
O57A et O59
O59
161 kV 735 kV
Municipality of
Mature forest (41 years and over)
Lac auxYoung forest (21 to 40 years)
1627 Circuit number (voltage color)
O57A Project components
Study area (line to be Lac built)
des Îles Study area (line to be dismantled)
Biological refuge
BlackRock Metal substation
Lac Armitage
Lac Chibougamau Arm it
49°45'
age
O59
Town of Chibougamau
Unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan
Riv iè
re
Municipality of Baie-James
49°45'
Special-status wildlife species
Town of Chibougamau
49°50'
74°5'
Municipality
Outfitter without exclusive rights
Dorés
74°10'
Lac Stella
Lac Dollier
O59 e nt
a y an d
w ay ion R ail tat CN bs n su tio au bsta a m su ug is ibo apa Ch Ch 27 To To 16
r e em
B
Ag
es am
Project location
be
c
er n
Q
ué
J
167
24
O59
49°40'
49°40'
No
rt h
Lac André
Lac Audet
aieJ
am
es
au
of B
O60
708
es
alit y
Lac de la Besace
4
Mu nic ip
708 5
70
Lac Boisvert
49°35'
93 CN
74°20'
Obatogamau substation 74°15'
167
O60
Railway
Lacs Obatogamau
49°35'
86
Lac Laurent
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_007_120525a.mxd
3
Project schedule
Public participation
DRAFT DESIGN General information
Spring 2012
Information and consultation
Summer 2012
Information on route selected
Fall 2012
PROJECT Filing of the environmental impact statement Permitting Construction Commissioning
Fall 2012 Summer 2013
Winter 2013–2014 Spring 2014
Favorable reception from local communities is an essential condition for Hydro-Québec projects. The company will implement a public participation and consultation process to ensure that project studies are carried out in collaboration with the host communities. To ensure that their concerns are taken into consideration, Hydro-Québec will hold information and consultation sessions with community representatives, including the tallymen affected by the project, while the studies are under way.
www.hydroquebec.com 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 Relations and 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
2012E0547-A
Printed on paper made in Québec from 100% postconsumer recycled fibre.
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