New Russell Substation

April 2010 ! UV510 ! How can you provide input? Why are you receiving this newsletter? Your input is important to us and we will work with you to ensure your concerns and issues are understood Cowley You are receiving this newsletter because you are a resident, and responded to. You can provide your feedback by: UV3 occupant or landowner near the proposed Russell Substation RUSSELL Pincher Station project in the Pincher Creek area and we want your input. Contacting us directly ! 632S Phone: 1-877-267-1453 ") E-mail: [email protected]. What does this project involve? r e Lowland Heights ! v i AltaLink is proposing to: Engaging in personal consultations s t l a e R PINCHER C • Build a new substation called Russell 632S AltaLink representatives will contact residents and landowners near the Russell Substation in April and May to UV507 CREEK address any questions or concerns. • Reconfigure the existing transmission line UV6 • Salvage approximately 100 metres of existing We will summarize your input and any commitments we make to you in a Facility Application (FA). The FA transmission line describes our plans to meet technical requirements set by the AESO and provides information on routing, environment, costs, project components and schedules and our participant involvement program. Your name We want to provide you with: may be disclosed in our FA, but your specific concerns will not. We will submit the FA to the AUC for its • Project details approval. The AUC is the independent, quasi-judicial agency that ensures the fair and responsible delivery of • A project schedule our utility services. We have enclosed a copy of the AUC brochure: Public Involvement in Needs or Facilities Applications, which describes how you can be involved in the AUC process. • A map • Information about how you can provide input Who can you contact for more information? To learn more about the proposed project you can contact: Who is AltaLink? • AltaLink at 1-877-267-1453 (toll free) AltaLink owns the transmission system in the area and is consulting with you about this project. We are a • Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) at 1-888-866-2959 regulated utility that owns and operates approximately 11,800 kilometres of transmission lines and 270 • Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) at 780-427-4903 substations. We provide electric service to more than 85 per cent of Albertans and own the majority of the (You can call toll-free by dialing 310-0000 before the number.) transmission system in central and southern Alberta. To find out more about AltaLink, or if you have any questions please contact us at 1-877-267-1453. Thank you! Your input is important to us. Included in this Stakeholder Information Package: To learn more about this project visit www.albertaelectricityfuture.ca/satr • The Alberta Electric System Operator’s Need Overview • A Dialogue on Electric & Magnetic Fields • Good Neighbours • Public Involvement in Needs or Facilities Applications Electricity. When you need it.

Telecommunications tower AltaLink is proposing to install a telecommunications tower within the proposed Russell Substation fence. The purpose of the telecommunications tower is to support What are the project details? equipment that transmits data to our system control centre. It will be used by the AltaLink Control Centre for remote control operation of the electrical system and for New substation private voice communications to staff on site, allowing us to monitor the safety and AltaLink is proposing to build a new 138 kV (138,000 reliability of our electrical system. volts) substation called Russell 632S located west of

Pincher Creek, beside TransAlta’s Castle River 239S The telecommunications tower at the proposed Russell Substation site Substation at LSD 15 - Sec.35 - Twp.6 - Rge.1 - W5M. (Latitude: 49.5129 N/ Longitude: 114.0279 W) will be 80 metres (262 feet) tall with a The substation will contain a phase-shifting transformer, triangle base of approximately three metres (10 feet). The telecommunications tower circuit breakers and other electrical equipment will be self-supporting and there will be antennas attached at or near the top of the designed to allow the safe and efficient distribution tower. It will be painted and have obstruction lighting to meet the requirements of of electricity to your community. The purpose of the Transport Canada. phase-shifting transformer is to control the transmission Typical self-supporting of the electricity flow and circuit breakers are switches telecommunications tower. The new Russell Substation will be built next to the existing designed to protect an electrical circuit. TransAlta Castle River substation, as shown in this picture.

The proposed substation fenced area will be approximately 120 metres by 60 metres (394 by 147 feet) and will For more information regarding AltaLink If you have any questions or concerns related to the be accessible through a locked gate by authorized personnel only. Please refer to the enclosed maps to view and this project, please contact us at: telecommunications tower, please contact AltaLink within the proposed location of the Russell Substation. 30 days of receiving this notification. Website: www.albertaelectricity.ca/satr Reconfigure 138 kV transmission line Phone: 1-877-267-1453 Richard Hird, P.Eng., AltaLink Manager, To connect the proposed substation to the electricity grid, AltaLink is proposing to reconfigure the existing 138 E-mail: [email protected] Network Communications kV line, called 170L. The line going west from the Russell substation will keep the same name as 170L and the line going east to Pincher Creek will be renamed 412L. The lines will be strung on self-supporting structures, For general information relating to antenna Richard Hird attests that the radio installation described systems contact Industry Canada: in this notification package will be installed and operated which are approximately the same height as the existing structures outside the substation. A 138 kV line Website: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/antenna on an ongoing basis so as to comply with Health Canada’s connection between the Russell Substation and Castle River Substation will also be constructed, called 413L. Telephone: 613-954-5031 Safety Code 6, which defines safe levels of radio frequency, Toll-free: 1-800-328-6189 (Canada) (RF), exposure. The radio system described is excluded Transmission line salvage from the environmental assessment under the Canadian Due to the reconfiguration of the existing 170L transmission line, AltaLink will be removing approximately 60 Environmental Assessment Act. To ensure the structural metres of the 170L line and salvaging the existing 138 kV line, called 170AL, which connects the Castle River adequacy of the tower, the design and installation will Substation to the electricity grid. These sections of line are no longer required as the new transmission line follow industry standards and sound engineering practices. AltaLink is proposing to build will connect both the Russell and Castle River Substations to the electricity grid. Electricity. When you need it. What happens during construction? Depending on where you are in relation to the project you may see or hear: • Noise and construction crews Why is this project needed? • Installation of transmission structures • Stringing of wires on new transmission structures The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO), the independent, not-for-profit entity responsible for the safe, • Construction of a substation reliable and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System, has identified the • Installation of a telecommunications tower need to reinforce the transmission system in southern Alberta. Alberta’s electrical grid needs more capacity to • Leveling and grading for the substation site make room for power generated from new wind farm projects proposed throughout southern Alberta. New transmission lines are required to support this growth and collectively these projects make up the Southern Throughout the construction process AltaLink and its contractors will follow all applicable Alberta environment Alberta Transmission Reinforcement (SATR). The proposed Russell Substation is a part of this reinforcement. legislation and requirements and will use appropriate techniques to protect water quality, soil, vegetation and wildlife habitat. Gaining access and carrying out activities on private property is done in consultation with The AESO filed the need for SATR in a formal application, known as a Needs Identification Document (NID) with the landowner. Any noise associated with the construction and/or operation of the new facilities will comply the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) in December 2008. The AUC is a quasi-judicial agency that ensures the with the AUC Noise Control Rule 12 and any other relevant provincial and municipal noise regulations and fair and responsible delivery of our utility services. The AUC approved the NID on September 8, 2009. standards.

Environmental considerations What is the project schedule? In our commitment to reduce environmental impacts, we will follow Alberta Environment’s guidelines during the preparation and construction of the proposed substation. AltaLink will ensure its contractors use environmentally appropriate techniques to protect topsoil and subsoil structures and use appropriate April/May 2010 Notify and consult with stakeholders equipment to minimize compaction and rutting.

What about Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF)? June 2010 File application with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) AltaLink recognizes that some people are concerned about EMF and we treat those concerns very seriously. AltaLink has experts who are available on request to measure the EMF or noise levels around your home, and ensure that all ungrounded metallic objects such as metal buildings and fences near the transmission line are Q1 2011 Start project construction if approval is granted by AUC properly grounded if necessary.

Other projects in your area September 2011 Complete project construction AltaLink has a variety of projects in different stages of planning and development in the area. Some are related to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement, while others are part of regular work on our transmission lines and substations. You may receive further information about these projects if you are a landowner or resident in the area. Please contact us if you have questions about these or any other AltaLink projects.

• New Fidler 312S Substation and Transmission Line • Castle Rock Ridge Wind Farm Connection Electricity. When you need it. What happens during construction? Depending on where you are in relation to the project you may see or hear: • Noise and construction crews Why is this project needed? • Installation of transmission structures • Stringing of wires on new transmission structures The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO), the independent, not-for-profit entity responsible for the safe, • Construction of a substation reliable and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System, has identified the • Installation of a telecommunications tower need to reinforce the transmission system in southern Alberta. Alberta’s electrical grid needs more capacity to • Leveling and grading for the substation site make room for power generated from new wind farm projects proposed throughout southern Alberta. New transmission lines are required to support this growth and collectively these projects make up the Southern Throughout the construction process AltaLink and its contractors will follow all applicable Alberta environment Alberta Transmission Reinforcement (SATR). The proposed Russell Substation is a part of this reinforcement. legislation and requirements and will use appropriate techniques to protect water quality, soil, vegetation and wildlife habitat. Gaining access and carrying out activities on private property is done in consultation with The AESO filed the need for SATR in a formal application, known as a Needs Identification Document (NID) with the landowner. Any noise associated with the construction and/or operation of the new facilities will comply the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) in December 2008. The AUC is a quasi-judicial agency that ensures the with the AUC Noise Control Rule 12 and any other relevant provincial and municipal noise regulations and fair and responsible delivery of our utility services. The AUC approved the NID on September 8, 2009. standards.

• New Fidler 312S Substation and Transmission Line • Castle Rock Ridge Wind Farm Connection New Russell Substation