Hydro One breaks ground on Waasigan Transmission Line

Hydro One and First Nation partners held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.2 billion Waasigan Transmission Line, set to connect the Lakehead Transformer Station to Dryden.

 


Hydro One breaks ground on Waasigan Transmission Line

Image for illustration purposes.

Canada, Ontario: On Friday, Hydro One and First Nation partners held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.2 billion Waasigan Transmission Line. Once finished, the line will connect the Lakehead Transformer Station in Shuniah to Dryden. The project will be built in two phases.

Hydro One president and CEO David Lebeter commented: “It strengthens the backbone of the bulk electricity system that runs from this point west throughout the province. If you want to build new manufacturing and open up mines or forestry plants or even new communities, you need to have enough capacity on the transmission system. Right now, the transmission system here is getting full. This creates that buffer, that headroom to bring new economic activity.”

Sonny Karunakaran, Hydro One’s vice-president of Strategic Projects and Partnerships, said: “It starts here in Shuniah and moves along to Atikokan. We’re going to commence construction on that before the end of this year. And then, phase two of the project will take it from Atikokan up to Dryden. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.”

The project is a 50-50 partnership between Hydro One and nine First Nation communities, namely the Lac Des Mille Lakes First Nation, and eight First Nations represented by Gwayakocchigewin Limited Partnership: Eagle Lake First Nation, Fort William First Nation, Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation, Lac Seul First Nation, Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, Ojibway Nation of Saugeen, Seine River First Nation, and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation. The communities have agreements in place to invest a 50% equity stake in the transmission line component of Waasigan.

Source: CBC