This report is a more up to date look at Hydro One's Northwestern game plan:

Copy & Paste:

Draft_RIP Report_Northwest - Hydro One

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The following is the summary of the currently recommended or proposed near/mid/long-term wires plans 

for the sub-regions under low, medium and high load growth scenarios. The current status of these plans 

is also indicated in the following.....See PAGE 8 of PDF.

On pages 34 - 36:

6.1 North of Dryden Sub-Region

Most of the demand in the North of Dryden sub-region is from the mining sector. The demand growth is 

driven by the expansion of this sector, as well as the connection of up to 21 remote communities in the 

northern parts of the region to Red Lake and Pickle Lake and growth in the mining sector, including 

potential developments in the Ring of Fire which may be supplied from Pickle Lake.

The North of Dryden IRRP [2] for this sub-region has assumed Low, Medium (referred to as Reference in 

IRRP [2]) and High load growth scenarios. Based on these scenarios, it has identified the needs and 

recommended wires plans in near-term, mid-term and long-term. The following are summaries of the needs 

and recommended plans for this sub-region, which consists of Pickle Lake sub-system, Red Lake sub-

system, and Ring of Fire sub-system. 

6.1.1 Pickle Lake Needs and Recommended Plans

The North of Dryden IRRP [2] has identified that the existing single supply to Pickle Lake, i.e. the 115 kV 

circuit E1C, is serving 24 MW of load and is at its capacity. Any load growth in the near-term from the 

existing mine or connection of remote communities will require increase of LMC. The additional capacity 

needs, based on the medium (reference) load growth scenario are 18 MW, 28 MW and 47 MW in near-

term, mid-term and long-term, respectively. 

Pickle Lake LMC is limited by voltage stability. Providing dynamic voltage support, e.g. installing Static 

VAR Compensator (SVC) at Pickle Lake offers moderate increase in LMC, assuming the remaining 

capacity of circuit E4D will be available for this load increase. One alternative assessed in the IRRP is to 

install a new 115 kV single-circuit line from Valora, south of Dryden, to Pickle Lake to provide additional 

LMC that meets the near-term needs of Pickle Lake and releases some capacity on circuit E4D. However, in 

the long-term, with the development of new mines and potential for connection of the Ring of Fire to Pickle 

Lake (one the alternatives identified in the IRRP), an increase of over 130 MW in LMC may be required 

under the high growth forecast. As a result, the recommendation is to proceed with a plan required to meet

the needs of the medium (reference) and high growth scenarios in the long-term. This plan can make the 

full capacity of circuit E4D available to serve the Red Lake sub-system.

Recommended Plan:

• Install a new 230 kV transmission line to Pickle Lake from either the Dryden area (e.g. Dinorwic) 

or Ignace area;

Install a new 230 kV switching station to connect the new line to the existing circuits D26A; 

• Install a new 230/115 kV auto-transformer at the end of the new line in Pickle Lake;

• Install new 115 kV switching facilities (circuit breakers) to connect the existing circuit E1C, 

existing customers at Pickle Lake and the new connections of the remote communities to the new 

auto-transformer; and

• Install required reactive compensation for voltage control

An Order in Council from the government, dated July 20, 2016, has directed the OEB to amend 

Wataynikaneyap Power LP’s (Watay Power) licence for Watay Power to develop and seek approvals 

for the Line to Pickle Lake and the connection of sixteen remote communities. Watay Power has 

initiated the Development phase of the project for these connections. Currently the planned in-service

date of the 230 kV line to Pickle Lake is Q2 2020, based on Watay Power’s active connection 

assessment with the IESO.

6.1.2 Red Lake Needs and Recommended Plans

The North of Dryden IRRP [2] has identified that the current LMC of 61 MW at Red Lake, supplied by 

circuits E2R and E4D, is insufficient to meet the needs of the mining load, based on the expected growth at 

this location, even in near-term. The additional capacity needs, based on the medium (reference) load 

growth scenario are 30 MW, 44 MW and 48 MW in near-term, mid-term and long-term, respectively. 

Additional capacity needs increase to 75 MW under high load growth scenario.

The wires plans to meet the near-term needs are the following.

Recommended Plan:

• Upgrade circuit E4D to a summer rating of 660 A

• Upgrade circuit E2R to a summer rating of 610 A

• Provide additional voltage control at Ear Falls and/or Red Lake

However, since the load increase in the mining sector has not materialized at the same pace as previously 

anticipated, the initial plans for the upgrade of circuits E4D and E2R have been put on hold, awaiting 

customer request. A recent System Impact Assessment by the IESO for a load increase at Red Lake has 

determined that although the existing system can meet the demand, circuit E4D is reaching its thermal limit. 

Therefore, the above plan for the upgrade of circuit E4D (and E2R) can proceed in case of a request by, and 

agreement with, customers for additional load. Alternatively, operating measures can be used until 

additional firm capacity becomes available in the mid-term.

In the mid/long-term, assuming that the planned 230 kV line to Pickle Lake (see the previous section) is 

completed, which can make the full capacity of circuit E4D available to serve the Red Lake sub-system,

there will be sufficient capacity to meet the needs under medium (reference) and high load growth 

scenarios. Only if the needs exceed the high growth forecast of this planning horizon, or the planned 230 

kV line to Pickle Lake is not completed, a new 115 kV or 230 kV line from Dryden to Ear Falls will be one 

of the alternatives for meeting the demand.

6.1.3 Ring of Fire Sub-system Needs and Potential Options

The North of Dryden IRRP [2] has indicated that as the Ring of Fire sub-system is remote from the existing 

transmission system, any additional capacity needs would require new facilities. The IRRP has also 

indicated that transmission supply is the most economic option under all of the forecast scenarios, which 

considers the five remote communities in the vicinity of the Ring of Fire that have been identified as being

economic to connect in the IESO’s Remote Community Connection Plan [6] as well as possible mining 

customers. If mining load does not fully materialize, the North of Dryden IRRP [2] concluded that an east-

west supply from the Pickle Lake area was the most economic option. If mining load fully materializes, the 

IRRP concluded that the economic option is either an east-west supply from the Pickle Lake area or a north-

south supply from a point along the East-West Tie. Development in the area is still at an early stage and no 

firm recommendations can be made at this time.

Comment:  After reading Hydro One's 2017 Draft RIP Report Northwest I get the feeling that Mushkegowuk and Quebec Hydro have a good shot at providing the power corridor for the Ring of Fire. Any attempt by Hydro One to do so does not appear to be as economic as what Mushkegowuk is proposing; at a glance.  Especially if the hydro lines that run to the DeBeers Victor mine from Attawapiskat can be utilized by the Five Nations Energy group of Mushkegowuk to piggy back cheap electricity to both Matawa and the Ring of Fire.  I guess the question now is how much does the continued growth of Matawa and any future mining in the Ring of Fire region mean to Hydro One.  & Is the cost of running power to these remote Matawa communities  and the Ring of Fire worth the expense to keep Quebec Hydro from coming across the provincial border.

 TM.