Hydro-Québec

PUBLIC CONSULTATION Spring 2019

230/25-kV Bonsecours Substation and 230-kV Supply Line

The 49-kilovolt (kV) system that currently supplies power to the Estrie region, which was built in the 1940s by the Southern Canada Power Company, has reached maximum capacity. Hydro-Québec is in the process of finalizing its plan to convert this system, which began with the commissioning of the new 120/25-kV Adamsville substation in Bromont in 2016.

Given the significant increase in the number of requests from new customers over the past year, Hydro-Québec has decided to begin developing, as of now, a 230-kV system to ensure it can meet the region’s long-term needs.

The plan includes constructing a 230/25-kV substation between the existing Lawrenceville and Valcourt substations, to be connected to the grid with a 230-kV supply line that will run roughly 20 km from the new substation to Stukely substation in Stukely-Sud. The equipment will initially operate at 120 kV.

Subsequently, the 49-kV Lawrenceville and Valcourt substations will be dismantled, along with some sections of the existing 49-kV lines.

The project will also require: • Modifications to the distribution system to connect customers in the region to the new substation, including the conversion of Bombardier Recreational Products’ (BRP) 25-kV facilities. • Related work at Stukely substation. • Conversion of an existing 120-kV line (Cleveland–Waterloo line) to 230 kV in the neighboring regional county municipalities (MRCs) of Brome-Missisquoi and La Haute-Yamaska. Substation similar to future Bonsecours substation

Study area The study area covers 143 km2 and includes five municipalities in the Val-Saint-François MRC: the city of Valcourt, the township municipality of Valcourt, Lawrenceville, Bonsecours and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Rochelle; and two municipalities in the Memphrémagog MRC: Stukely-Sud and Eastman. The study area was selected to encompass all elements from the natural environment, the human environment and the landscape that are likely to be affected by the project. Environmental assessment Hydro-Québec is currently carrying out an environmental assessment to determine the substation site and line route with the least impact on the host environment. The assessment consists mainly of a detailed environmental inventory and the development of appropriate mitigation measures. Once the assessment is completed, Hydro-Québec will seek the necessary government approvals for line and substation construction. Proposed substation site The proposed site of the new substation is off Chemin Malbœuf, in Bonsecours. Since the project began, different sites have been evaluated but, based on the results of technical and environmental studies, this is the only one that meets the primary siting criteria. These criteria include proximity to Lawrenceville and Valcourt substations, which currently supply power to customers in these sectors and which the new substation will replace. The site for the new substation is located almost halfway between these two facilities. Furthermore, the proposed site is isolated from nearby homes and the presence of trees will allow a strip of woodland to be preserved to serve as a screen to mitigate any visual impacts. Lastly, no streams, rivers, wetlands or special-status species have been found on the site.

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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Proposed line route In 2018, Hydro-Québec undertook an inventory of the study area in order to better understand the project’s host environment. It then determined the line route based on the following criteria.

• Avoid the most sensitive elements: −− Populated areas and recreational and tourist facilities −− Farmland −− Maple sugaring operations −− Bodies of water −− Wetlands −− Protected areas and special-status species • Run the line along existing lines whenever possible. • Select the shortest route possible to minimize the number of elements potentially affected. • Respect lot boundaries as much as possible. • Limit impacts on the landscape.

Hydro-Québec will continue the inventory work in 2019, focusing on areas such as hydrography, vegetation, wildlife and archaeology.

The proposed line route begins at Stukely substation and then heads northward along the west side of the 49-kV line right-of-way for roughly 1.5 km before turning east to avoid the populated area on either side of the 49-kV line. It then heads north again, to avoid populated areas and maple sugaring operations. Two variants (2a and 2b) are being studied for this section of the route, to avoid the potential presence of special-status species. The route then rejoins the 49-kV line right-of-way at Chemin Aimé-Dufresne.

The route follows the existing right-of-way again for a stretch, first along its east side and then, at 5e Rang, along its west side. For the section beginning at Chemin du Lac, two variants are under study: one that continues to follow the west side of the existing right-of-way (3a) and another that runs along the east side of Rue Beauregard (3b). The two variants meet up again south of the Lawrenceville town center and the route then veers east and north to avoid the populated area.

Northeast of Lawrenceville, two variants are under study (4a and 4b) to deal with environmental constraints (special-status species and wetlands). After the two variants meet, the route continues north to the new substation, which is located on Chemin Malbœuf.

Length of line route by municipality

Municipality Length Comments ±50 m depending on Stukely-Sud 7.5 km variant selected Depending on Lawrenceville 1.5–2.1 km variant selected ±100 m depending on Sainte-Anne- 3.8 km de-la-Rochelle variant selected Depending on Bonsecours 6.8–7.3 km variant selected

4 be widenedby 14.8m. the current right-of-way must beside theexisting49-kVline, where thenewlineruns thesections of theline).In either sideofthecenter 36-m wide(i.e., 18mto the right-of-way mustbe To continuity, ensure service changes direction. will beneededwhentheline route; four-legged towers over ofthe straight sections towers willbemainlyused towers. Reduced-footprint by steelwire lattice supported andagroundconductors The linewillconsist ofsix width ofright-of-way Types oftowers and

7576_bu_slq_019_pyl_230kV_190426a.ai 7576_bu_slq_018_pyl_230kV_190423a.ai 7576_bu_slq_017_pyl_230kV_190416a.ai Reduced-footprint right-of-way required: 14.8m New 230-kVStukely-Bonsecours line Additional widthof tower

Height: 26.8 m to 38.8 m suspension tower Right-of-way: 36.0m Four-legged Space between centers oflines:12.0m 2.5 m Right-of-way ofexistingline: Right-of-way Four-legged angle or dead-endtower 30.5 m (49 kV) dismantled Line to be to beused Reduced-footprint Types oftowers New linerunning tower tower next to existingline next

Public participation A favorable reception from local communities is Project schedule an essential condition for Hydro-Québec projects. As a result, the company has implemented a public Draft-design studies participation and consultation process to ensure that Spring 2018–summer 2019 project studies are carried out in collaboration with the host communities. This enables the company to take Permitting into account the concerns and expectations expressed 2019–2020 by the public and by key stakeholders so as to adapt the project as best as possible to local realities. Construction 2021–2022 Concrete support for Commissioning community development 2022 Hydro-Québec sees its projects as an opportunity to Dismantling of 49-kV structures participate in the development of host communities. Beginning in 2023 Accordingly, through its Integrated Enhancement Program (IEP), it makes funding available to eligible organizations to carry out initiatives that improve community life. Initiatives can involve the environment; municipal, community or recreational infrastructures; or support for tourism or regional development.

For more information INFO-PROJECT Line for the Estrie-Montérégie region 1 8 7 7 6 5 3-1 1 3 9 Mélanie Destrempes Advisor – Community Relations – Estrie and Montérégie Direction – Affaires régionales et collectivités 705, boul. Clairevue, 1er étage Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville (Québec) J3V 6B6 [email protected] www.hydroquebec.com/projets/poste-bonsecours/

Original text written in French. Ce document est également publié en français. 2019E1016-A

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