Decision 20924-D01-2016 AltaLink Management Ltd. South and West of Edmonton Area Transmission Development Cooking Lake, Saunders Lake, Wabamun and Leduc Developments July 15, 2016 Alberta Utilities Commission Decision 20924-D01-2016 AltaLink Management Ltd. South and West of Edmonton Area Transmission Development Cooking Lake, Saunders Lake, Wabamun and Leduc Developments Proceeding 20924 Applications 20924-A001 and 20924-A003 to 20924-A016 July 15, 2016 Published by the: Alberta Utilities Commission Fifth Avenue Place, Fourth Floor, 425 First Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 3L8 Telephone: 403-592-8845 Fax: 403-592-4406 Website: www.auc.ab.ca Contents 1 Decision summary ................................................................................................................. 1 2 Legislative scheme ................................................................................................................. 2 2.1 The process for new transmission development in Alberta ........................................... 2 2.2 Public interest ................................................................................................................. 3 3 Background ........................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 South and West of Edmonton Area Transmission System Reinforcement needs identification document approval ................................................................................... 4 3.2 Interventions ................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Hearing ........................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Participants in the proceeding ........................................................................................ 5 4 Wabamun, Leduc and telecommunications developments ............................................... 6 4.1 Wabamun development .................................................................................................. 6 4.2 Leduc development ........................................................................................................ 6 4.3 Telecommunications development................................................................................. 7 4.4 Commission findings ..................................................................................................... 7 5 Saunders Lake development ................................................................................................ 7 5.1 Views of the interveners............................................................................................... 11 5.2 Commission findings ................................................................................................... 11 6 Cooking Lake development ................................................................................................ 12 6.1 Project description ........................................................................................................ 12 6.2 Consultation ................................................................................................................. 13 6.2.1 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 14 6.3 Route development....................................................................................................... 15 6.3.1 Views of AltaLink........................................................................................... 15 6.3.2 Views of the interveners ................................................................................. 17 6.3.3 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 18 6.4 Right-of-way, construction workspace and access trails ............................................. 19 6.4.1 Views of AltaLink........................................................................................... 19 6.4.2 Views of the interveners ................................................................................. 21 6.4.3 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 21 6.5 Property impacts........................................................................................................... 21 6.5.1 Proximity to residences ................................................................................... 21 6.5.1.1 Views of AltaLink ............................................................................. 21 6.5.1.2 Views of the interveners .................................................................... 23 6.5.1.3 Commission findings ......................................................................... 24 6.5.2 Property value ................................................................................................. 25 6.5.2.1 Commission findings ......................................................................... 31 6.5.3 Visual impacts and tree clearing ..................................................................... 34 6.5.3.1 Views of AltaLink ............................................................................. 34 6.5.3.2 Views of the interveners .................................................................... 36 6.5.3.3 Commission findings ......................................................................... 39 6.5.4 Existing disturbances, future development and road widening ...................... 40 6.5.4.1 Views of AltaLink ............................................................................. 40 Decision 20924-D01-2016 (July 15, 2016) • i 6.5.4.2 Views of the interveners .................................................................... 42 6.5.4.3 Commission findings ......................................................................... 45 6.6 Environmental impacts................................................................................................. 46 6.6.1 Views of AltaLink........................................................................................... 46 6.6.2 Views of the interveners ................................................................................. 49 6.6.3 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 52 6.7 Cost .............................................................................................................................. 55 6.7.1 Views of AltaLink........................................................................................... 55 6.7.2 Views of the interveners ................................................................................. 55 6.7.3 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 56 6.8 Cooking Lake Cemetery .............................................................................................. 56 6.8.1 Views of AltaLink........................................................................................... 56 6.8.2 Views of the interveners ................................................................................. 57 6.8.3 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 58 6.9 Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) ............................................................................. 59 6.9.1 Commission findings ...................................................................................... 60 6.10 Noise ............................................................................................................................ 60 6.10.1 Commission findings .................................................................................... 61 6.11 Safety............................................................................................................................ 62 6.11.1 Views of AltaLink ......................................................................................... 62 6.11.2 Views of interveners...................................................................................... 62 6.11.3 Commission findings .................................................................................... 63 6.12 Approved route............................................................................................................. 64 6.13 Proposed route variations ............................................................................................. 65 6.13.1 Commission findings .................................................................................... 66 7 Findings ................................................................................................................................ 67 8 Decision ................................................................................................................................ 67 Appendix A – Proceeding participants ..................................................................................... 69 Appendix B – Oral hearing – registered appearances ............................................................. 72 Appendix C – Cooking Lake Alternate Route Resistors (CLARR) group members ........... 74 List of figures Figure 1 - Saunders Lake 289S Substation Proposed Locations (not to scale) .............................. 8 Figure 2 - Proposed Cooking Lake Transmission Line Routes