New Transmission Line from Edmonton to Fort McMurray Approved

February 18, 2017

The Alberta Utilities Commission has approved a $1.6 billion transmission line project running from west of Edmonton to the Fort McMurray area.

The Alberta PowerLine project, a partnership between Alberta-based Canadian Utilities Limited (an ATCO company) and U.S.-based Quanta Capital Solutions, was needed so that more power could flow in and out of the Fort McMurray area. The project will increase the capacity of the existing system to meet a growing demand for power in this area, and bolster the overall reliability of the Alberta transmission network.

The project includes the construction of a 500 kilometre single-circuit transmission line, three optical repeater sites, and the expansion of the Livock substation. Specific components include:

• a 500 kilovolt AC single circuit transmission line, running about 100 km from a new substation to be established in the Thickwood Hills west of Fort McMurray to an expanded substation in the Wabasca area

• a 500-kV AC single circuit transmission line running, about 400 km from the expanded Livock substation to the existing Sunnybrook substation in the Wabamun area

Construction on crown land is expected to start immediately, while construction on private land is expected to start later this year. Energization is expected to take place in June 2019.