The construction site is located in northwest British Columbia, approximately 100km north of Stewart, BC. AltaGas expects the Forrest Kerr Project to be the first of three run-of-river power generation projects in the area, and is continuing development of its McLymont Creek and Volcano Creek projects.
David Cornhill, chairman and chief executive officer of AltaGas, said: “The Forrest Kerr Project represents an important evolution in AltaGas’ power business as we continue to build long-term contracted generation assets.
“These projects will provide the people of British Columbia with clean and reliable power from a significant water resource. For our investors, this announcement comes at an important time in history as governments move to reduce emissions while building for the future.”
The Forrest Kerr Project is to be constructed wholly within Tahltan Nation traditional territory and is estimated to cost a total of approximately $700m. Once completed, the project will provide enough electricity for approximately 70,000 homes in British Columbia and will offset more than 450,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas equivalents annually.
The Forrest Kerr Project is expected to come into service in 2014 and will deliver electricity to the terminus point of the previously announced 287kV Northwest Transmission Line (NTL), near Bob Quinn, British Columbia. The British Columbia Transmission Corporation is developing the NTL.
The Forrest Kerr Project will channel a portion of the Iskut River flow through a tunnel to an underground powerhouse, where it will pass through turbines to produce electricity, before it is returned to the river.
The Forrest Kerr Project was issued an environment assessment certificate in March 2010. Site development activities are currently underway and AltaGas anticipates initiating construction immediately.
