Transmission Project

In addition to the station itself, the project requires new transmission lines and substations to deliver electricity into Manitoba Hydro's transmission system. The points of connection will be at the new Birchtree Station in Thompson; at the existing Herblet Lake Station; and at the existing Ralls Island Station in The Pas.

A new substation is required at the Wuskwatim Generating Station for voltage transformation and switching. The substation will step-up the electricity from the generating station and transform it to a higher voltage for transmission to the existing hydroelectric transmission system.

One 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line will be required between Wuskwatim and Birchtree; two 230-kV lines between Wuskwatim and Herblet Lake; and one 230-kV line between Herblet Lake and Ralls Island. The 230-kV line between Wuskwatim and Birchtree will first be used for developing the generating station.

Current Status

Construction of all transmission lines, with the exception of the collector lines from the Wuskwatim GS to the Wuskwatim switching station, is now complete. Commissioning is under way and has been completed for the Wuskwatim transmission lines to Herblet Lake, as well as to Birchtree. The Herblet Lake to Ralls Island transmission line commissioning is taking place in July. Construction of the Wuskwatim collector lines is underway and scheduled to be completed in July.

Commissioning is ongoing at both the Wuskwatim switching station and the Thompson Birchtree station where all major equipment has been installed. Commissioning activities at Ralls Island are underway and will continue until the completion of the project. The transmission project is on schedule and will be complete by the fall of 2011.