Project Information
The Facilities
The Hound Chute Generating
Station is a small run-of the-river hydroelectric facility that has provided a
clean and renewable source of power for over 90 years. As a result of its age,
the facility is at the end of its designed service life. The Proposed
Undertaking will replace the existing generating station and when complete will
provide an expected nameplate capacity of approximately 10 megawatts from the
existing 3.6 megawatts capacity. The generating station will connect to the
local distribution system via an existing 44 kilovolts feeder. Hound Chute is
located about 10 kilometres east of Latchford and 10 kilometres south of Cobalt
in the District of Timiskaming.
The Environmental Assessment
The redevelopment of the Hound Chute Generating Station is
subject to the requirements of OPG's Class Environmental Assessment for
Modifications to Hydroelectric Facilities under the Ontario Environmental
Assessment Act (EA Act).
The environmental assessment will examine
the effects of the projects on the:
- Aquatic Environment (water, fish and other aquatic
life)
- Terrestrial Environment (adjacent trees, vegetation and
fauna)
- Socio-Economic Environment (local economy, local social
and economic uses)
- Archaeological and Built Heritage (archaeological,
building or structural resources.
- Atmospheric Environment (air and noise).
Field work in support of the environmental assessment was
carried out in 2006 and the overall Environmental Assessment Report is
currently being prepared.
The effects of the project both during the
construction and operations phases have now been assessed. Measures to
mitigate, eliminate and reduce negative effects and enhance positive effects
will be identified in the Environmental Assessment Report. Field work indicated
that the environmental impacts associated with the project will be temporary
and minor and can be mitigated.
Montreal River System Water Management Plan
A Water Management Plan (WMP) for the Montreal River
System has been developed and was prepared in accordance with the Water
Management Planning Guidelines for Waterpower, as approved by the Minister of
Natural Resources on May 14, 2002. The Ontario Lakes and River Improvements Act
requires compliance by facility operators with the operating regimes (required
levels and flows) established in the Water Management Plans and a compliance
monitoring program has been established. The new generating station will
continue to operate as a run-of-the-river facility and be managed so that there
is no change to the water levels and flows.
The Water Management Plan
for the Montreal River system was the result of partnership between OPG, the
MNR, the Department of Public Works and Government Services and Canadian Hydro
Developers which operate hydroelectric generating facilities as well as flood
control and civil structures along the river, as well First Nations and the
general public, which participated in the form of various advisory committees.
