Electricity at a glance GENERATION Generating ATCO Power facilities convert TransAlta various forms of Capital Power Corporation energy into ENMAX Energy electric power. Wind turbines Cogeneration plants TRANSMISSION Transmission AltaLink lines connect the ATCO Electric power produced ENMAX Power (Calgary) at generating EPCOR (Edmonton) facilities to substations. SUBSTATION Substations are AltaLink the connection ATCO Electric points between ENMAX Power (Calgary) transmission and EPCOR (Edmonton) distribution systems. DISTRIBUTION Distribution lines FortisAlberta carry electricity ATCO Electric to homes, farms ENMAX Power (Calgary) and businesses. EPCOR (Edmonton) Rural Electrification Associations RETAILERS Retailers give Direct Energy consumers a ENMAX (Calgary) choice of EPCOR Energy (Edmonton) electricity service Just Energy Alberta providers. City of Lethbridge Utilities YOU Electricity is delivered to homes, farms and businesses. Public consultation Your involvement is important to us. AltaLink understands that landowners, occupants and residents have information we need to consider when evaluating potential routes. Input from affected stakeholders is very important to the process of selecting the route with the lowest overall impact. We will work with you to ensure your questions and concerns are understood and responded to. After this preliminary stage of consultation we will use your input to refine route options and will consult with you again about these refined options in the winter of 2010. One-on-one consultation To set up a one-one-one consultation please talk to an AltaLink representative or call us toll-free at 1-877-269-5903. Our information centre also provides the opportunity to meet with AltaLink representatives at times convenient for you. The information centre is scheduled to be open from 12 - 8 p.m. and is located at 60-1825 Bomford Crescent SW. The information centre will be open the following dates: Thursday, August 12 Thursday, August 19 Friday, August 13 Friday, August 20 Saturday August 14 Saturday, August 21 Key players AltaLink AltaLink is an independent company that owns and operates approximately 11,800 kilometres of transmission lines and 270 substations. We provide electric service to more than 85 per cent of Albertans and own the majority of the transmission system in central and southern Alberta. The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) The AESO is an independent, not-for-profit entity responsible for the safe, reliable and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. The AESO determines the need for transmission reinforcement and directs Transmission Facility Owners, such as AltaLink, to submit a Facility Application for permitting and licensing to construct and operate transmission facilities. The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) The AUC is a quasi-judicial agency that ensures the fair and responsible delivery of our utility services. The AUC is the provincial regulator responsible for reviewing Facility Applications. AUC approval is required before construction of facilities can occur. Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement Project AESO Preferred Option for Transmission Reinforcement in Southern Alberta Airdrie Cochrane Banff Canmore Calgary Strathmore Bassano Okotoks Black Diamond Turner Valley High River Brooks Saskatchewan Vulcan Nanton Stavely Redcliff British Vauxhall Columbia Claresholm Medicine Hat Bow Island Granum Picture Butte Taber Fort Macleod Coaldale Crowsnest Pass Lethbridge Substations Raymond Foremost 500 kV Pincher Creek Magrath 240 kV 138 kV 69 kV Cardston Rivers Milk River Cities NID Approved 240 kV Double Circuit Wind Interest Zones Canada/United States Border Potential Areas For Transmission Development Alberta’s electrical grid needs more capacity to 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 Alberta Transmission Reinforcement Project (SATR). The Medicine Hat 138 kV Project is included in the SATR. The AESO filed the need for SATR in a formal application with the AUC in December 2008. The AUC completed a public hearing in June 2009 in Lethbridge to review the need for these projects. The AUC approved the need for these projects in September 2009. Project overview !Bowmanton CHAPPICE LAKE 649S " er ") iv th R u an Bowmanton So ew 244S ch at sk Sa VU41 VU524 MEDICINE REDCLIFF HAT " Veinerville ! VU41A MEDICINE HAT 41S Desert VU523 Blume BULLSHEAD ! ! 1 523S Roytal VU " !Dunmore VU3 ! Bullshead Seven Persons !VU887 The Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project includes: • A new 138 kV double circuit transmission line from the existing Bullshead Substation to the proposed Bowmanton Substation • Upgrades to the existing single circuit 138 kV transmission line between the existing Medicine Hat Substation and the existing Chappice Lake Substation area by removing the existing line and constructing a new double circuit 138 kV line • Some structures may be removed, and some new structures added in the immediate area around both the Bullshead Substation and Medicine Hat Substation • A new 138 kV single circuit transmission line approximately 800 metres in length connecting the proposed Bowmantion Substation to the existing Chappice Lake Substation • Additions to the proposed Bowmanton Substation and existing Medicine Hat, Bullshead and Chappice Lake Substations to accommodate the proposed new transmission lines Landowner compensation AltaLink is committed to providing fair and reasonable compensation to landowners who may have transmission facilities on their property. We provide compensation for easements and Annual Structure Payments (ASP) for the land used by our transmission facilities. Information regarding compensation and the easement acquisition process will be available throughout the consultation process. Environmental evaluation The environmental evaluation involves reviewing available databases, maps and other references along with field surveys. It examines: • Provincial fisheries, wildlife and vegetation inventories • Alberta natural heritage and cultural area inventories • Wetlands and water body data • Environmental literature • Aerial and roadside reconnaissance of potential routes • Public input and regulatory consultation • Rare plant and vegetation surveys • Wetland and watercourse surveys • Wildlife surveys • Soil and geo-technical assessments The environmental evaluation will help define mitigation measures to prevent or reduce potential environmental impacts. Environment How does AltaLink consider the environment in project planning? • Incorporate environmental evaluation results into route selection process • Avoid environmentally sensitive areas • Where avoidance is not possible, develop mitigation plans to minimize disturbance • Parallel existing corridors such as roads, pipelines, power lines and quarter lines where applicable • Ensure routes meet all current environmental regulations Route identification process This diagram shows how we identify potential route options. Route identification criteria The table below lists the general criteria we take into consideration when identifying and refining potential routes. Criteria Examples Agricultural • loss of crops • reduced efficiency of field operations Residential • loss of developable lands and constraints on development • proximity to residences Environmental • alteration of natural areas and interference with outdoor educational opportunities Cost • construction costs and land acquisition costs Electrical • reliability and reparability of the line Visual • visual impact of structures and lines as seen from residences, farms, roads and recreational installations Special • electrical interference considerations with radio transmitting stations and other telecommunication equipment etc. Please let us know if you think there are other important criteria we should consider when refining route options. Project details This project involves transmission line development in the Medicine Hat area. • A new double circuit 138 kV (138,000 volts) transmission line approximately 45 to 55 kilometres in length, from the existing Bullshead Substation (located about three kilometres south-west of Desert Blume) to the proposed Bowmanton Substation (located on the east side of Range Road 43, south of Township Road 144). From the proposed Bowmanton Substation to Township Road 114, the eastern most proposed routing parallels PROPOSED LINE 674L/675L a portion of the proposed East Medicine Hat to Whitla transmission line route. 5m 4m 4m 17.0m - 23.5m 17.0m - 23.5m 17.0m - 23.5m 1m 1m 1m EXISTING: 138kV SINGLE CIRCUIT PROPOSED: 138kV SINGLE CIRCUIT POLE PROPOSED: 138kV DOUBLE CIRCUIT POLE WOOD POLE • A new single circuitPROPOSED 138 LINE kV 674L/675L transmission line approximately 800 metres in length between the existing Chappice Lake Substation and the 5m proposed Bowmanton Substation. 4m 4m 2010-06-15 4:17:14 PM W:\Project1\62294 SATR Stgae 1.E Med Hat To Whitla\Drawings\0964L\Orig\max 138Kv brochure\138Kv brochure R1.dgn 17.0m - 23.5m 17.0m - 23.5m 17.0m - 23.5m 1m 1m 1m EXISTING: 138kV SINGLE CIRCUIT PROPOSED: 138kV SINGLE CIRCUIT POLE PROPOSED: 138kV DOUBLE CIRCUIT POLE WOOD POLE 2010-06-15 4:17:14 PM W:\Project1\62294 SATR Stgae 1.E Med Hat To Whitla\Drawings\0964L\Orig\max 138Kv brochure\138Kv brochure R1.dgn Project details – continued • Upgrade the existing single circuit 138 kV transmission line