Your guide to the SOUTHERN ALBERTA Transmission Reinforcement OUR TRANSMISSION LINES TRANSPORT THE POWER YOU USE EVERY DAY. AltaLink’s transmission system efficiently delivers electricity to 85 per cent of Edmonton Albertans. Dedicated to meeting the growing need for electricity, AltaLink Red Deer 85% connects Albertans to renewable, Calgary reliable and low-cost power. With a commitment to community and Lethbridge environment, AltaLink is ensuring the transmission system will support Albertans’ quality of life for years to come. Learn more at www.altalink.ca AltaLink Service Territory 2 Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement (SATR) 4 Electricity at a Glance 7 Consultation 8 Transmission Routes 10 Compensation 12 Value 13 Investing in Alberta’s Future 14 Environment 15 Construction 16 Transmission Terms 2 ALTALINK Guide to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement The Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement (SATR) includes many proposed projects in southern Alberta that will connect Albertans to new wind generated power. Use this as your guide to the SATR and learn how you can be involved in our public consultation program and routing selection process. This guide also has information about our compensation program and environmental and construction practices. Guide to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement ALTALINK 1 Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement (SATR) Some of the projects included in the SATR are shown below. Each project includes public consultation that helps to form our Facilities Application, a regulatory review of that application and, if approved, construction of the project. We will keep landowners updated throughout the life of a project and provide opportunities for input. Cassils to Bowmanton Transmission Project a new transmission line from west of Brooks to east of Medicine Hat Milo Substation Bowmanton to Whitla a new substation near Transmission Project the village of Milo a new transmission line from Calgary east of Medicine Hat to south Strathmore of Whitla Chestermere South Foothills Bassano Medicine Hat 138 kV Transmission Project Okotoks Transmission Project a new transmission line Milo from south of Fort Macleod High River a new transmission line to north of High River Brooks and upgrades to an existing transmission line in the Nanton Medicine Hat area Stavely Redcliff Claresholm Picture Medicine Fidler to Chapel Rock Butte Bow Island Hat Transmission Project Fort a new transmission line from MacLeod Whitla northeast of Pincher Creek Cowley Lethbridge to west of Pincher Creek Pincher Creek Wrentham Etzikom Coulee to Whitla Picture Butte to Transmission Project Russell Substation Etzikom Coulee a new transmission line a new substation in the Transmission Project from north of Wrentham to south of Whitla Pincher Creek area a new transmission line from south of Picture Butte to north of Wrentham Alberta has still only scratched the surface of its massive wind energy potential; wind power currently only represents six per cent of our total installed generation capacity. Source: Alberta Electric Systems Operator 2 ALTALINK Guide to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement Renewable energy, including wind-powered electricity, is an important part of Alberta’s electricity system. Wind energy is a clean, inexhaustible resource that is abundant in southern Alberta. How can you access wind power? Who decides? Existing transmission lines and substations in the For each project, AltaLink submits our preferred southern part of the province do not have the capacity locations for the proposed facilities to the AUC in to connect power generated from new wind farm a Facilities Application. The AUC must review all projects. In much the same way highways get congested applications and can approve, approve with conditions with more traffic, transmission lines get congested and or deny a Facilities Application. The length of time for cannot transport additional power. To connect this wind the review process varies. generated power to the electric grid, new transmission projects are being proposed to move the wind power Regulatory process from where it’s generated to you. When the AUC deems an application is complete, a Notice of Application is issued to people that may be The need affected by the proposed project and is also typically The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) filed the published in local newspapers. This notice advises need for the SATR in a formal application, known as a the public a Facilities Application has been received, Needs Identification Document, with the Alberta Utilities how copies of the application can be obtained, how to Commission (AUC) in December 2008. The AUC held access any additional material filed by parties supporting a public hearing to review the need for these projects in or opposing the application and how to participate in the 2009 and approved the need later that year. process. For more information about the AUC process, please visit the AUC website at www.auc.ab.ca. How do you fit in? We will work closely with stakeholders throughout our consultation process so that, together, we can find the best location for our facilities. Guide to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement ALTALINK 3 Whether generated from wind, water or other sources, the electricity you depend on is brought to you by transmission lines. electricity at a glance Did You Know? Alberta is a net importer of electricity. In 2009, Alberta imported nearly four times the amount of power it exported. Alberta depends on its transmission connections with British Columbia and Saskatchewan to meet its demand for electricity. We are actively working to ensure you have access to clean wind-generated power and the lowest-priced electricity Alberta has to offer. 4 ALTALINK Guide to the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement GeGENERATION n e ra t i o n Generating ATCOGENERATIONATCO Power Power facilitiesGenerating Generatingconvert facilities convert GENERATION facilitiesvariousGenerating formsconvert of TransAltaGENERATIONATCOTransAlta Power facilities convertvarious forms of energy into GENERATIONATCO Power facilitiesvariousGeneratingenergy forms convert into of CapitalCapitalATCO TransAltaPower Power Power Corporation Corporation various forms of ATCOTransAlta Power variousfacilitieselectricenergy forms convertintopower.electric of power. CapitalENMAX ENMAXPowerTransAlta Energy Corporation Energy energy into Capital PowerTransAlta Corporation variouselectricenergy forms power. into of CapitalWindENMAX WindPower turbines turbines EnergyCorporation electric power. CapitalENMAX Power EnergyCorporation electricenergy power. into CogenerationCogenerationENMAXWind turbines Energy plants plants ENMAXWind turbines Energy electric power. CogenerationWind turbines plants CogenerationWind turbines plants Transmission TRANSMISSIONCogeneration plants TRANSMISSIONTransmissionAltaLink linesTransmission connect the AltaLink lineslinespowerTransmission connectconnect producedTransmission thethe lines connect the TRANSMISSIONATCOAltaLink Electric linesTransmission connect the TRANSMISSIONATCO Electric linespowerat connectgenerating produced the ENMAXATCOAltaLink Power Electric (Calgary) linespower connect producedpower the produced at generating ENMAXAltaLink Power (Calgary) powerat facilitiesgenerating produced to ENMAXEPCORATCO Power (Edmonton)Electric (Calgary) powerat generating producedfacilities to substations. EPCORATCO (Edmonton) Electric atfacilitiesfacilitiessubstations. generating toto ENMAXEPCOR Power (Edmonton) (Calgary) atfacilities generating to ENMAXEPCOR Power (Edmonton) (Calgary) substations.substations.facilities to EPCOR (Edmonton) Substationssubstations.facilities to are SUBSTATION substations. SUBSTATIONAltaLink SubstationsSubstationsthe connection areare Substationsthethepoints connectionconnection between are SubstationsSUBSTATIONATCOAltaLink Electric Substationsthe connection are AltaLinkSUBSTATION pointsthetransmission connection betweenSubstations and are the connection ENMAXATCOAltaLink Power Electric (Calgary) pointsthe connection between ATCO ElectricAltaLink transmissiontransmissionpointsdistribution between andand ENMAXEPCORATCO Power (Edmonton)Electric (Calgary) transmissionpoints betweenpoints and between transmission ENMAXATCO Power Electric (Calgary) transmissiondistributionsystems. and ENMAXEPCOR Power (Edmonton) (Calgary) transmissiondistributionand and distribution systems. ENMAXEPCOR Power (Edmonton) (Calgary) distributionsystems.systems. EPCOR (Edmonton) distributionsystems. EPCOR (Edmonton) Distributionsystems. lines DISTRIBUTION systems. DISTRIBUTIONFortisAlberta Distributioncarry electricity lines Distributioncarrycarryto homes, electricityelectricity farms lines DISTRIBUTIONDistributionFortisAlbertaFortisAlbertaATCO Electric Distributioncarry electricity lines DISTRIBUTIONFortisAlberta totocarryand homes,homes, businesses.electricity farmsfarms ENMAXATCOFortisAlberta Power Electric (Calgary) tocarry homes, electricityDistribution farms lines carry ATCOFortisAlberta Electric toand homes, businesses. farms ENMAXEPCORATCO Power (Edmonton)Electric (Calgary) and businesses.electricity to homes, farms ENMAXENMAXATCO Power Power Electric (Calgary) (Calgary) toand homes, businesses. farms ENMAXEPCORRural Power Electrification(Edmonton) (Calgary) ENMAXEPCOREPCOR Power (Edmonton) (Calgary) and businesses.and businesses. RuralEPCORAssociations Electrification (Edmonton) RuralEPCORRural Electrification Electrification (Edmonton) Associations