The Peter Sutherland Sr. Generating Station (GS) on New Post Creek is now generating clean, reliable, low-cost electricity.

The project, which is a partnership between Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Coral Rapids Power, a company wholly owned by Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN), was completed safely, ahead of schedule and on budget.

“Ontario’s newest waterpower generation station further demonstrates our government’s commitment to building a clean and reliable electricity system,” said Ontario Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault. “Not only will it help to support a healthier environment and cleaner air for today and future generations, this project highlights a partnership between Taykwa Tagamou Nation and OPG that delivered meaningful economic benefits to the local First Nation community.”

Located about 80 kilometres north of Smooth Rock Falls, the Peter Sutherland Sr. GS is named after a respected community elder. The two unit station will provide 28 megawatts to the provincial grid, which is enough to power 25,000 homes.

“This project has gone well due to the relationship we’ve built on a foundation of respect and trust,” said Coral Rapids President Wayne Ross. “There have been many benefits for our community including good paying jobs, transferable skills, and a long term revenue stream.”

“Completing Peter Sutherland Sr. GS ahead of schedule and on budget is another example of OPG’s commitment to creating respectful partnerships and to ensuring project excellence,” said Jeff Lyash, OPG President and CEO.” Lyash also noted the work was completed safely and with no lost-time injuries. “That’s an incredible achievement.
My thanks go out to our contractor, Kiewit/Aecon and the many workers for their commitment to quality and safety.”

“Our focus on project management excellence is paying off,” Lyash added. “In addition to the Peter Sutherland GS, we successfully completed both the $2.6 billion Lower Mattagami hydroelectric project and the Niagara Pumped Storage refurbishment on time and on budget. And, the Darlington Nuclear Refurbishment — Canada largest clean energy project — is running on budget and on schedule.”

As Ontario’s largest and lowest cost clean power generator, OPG produces about half of the province’s power at a cost that’s about 40 per cent less than other generators. In 2014, OPG delivered North America’s largest climate change action to-date when it stopped burning coal. Today, more than 99 per cent of our power is free of smog and carbon emissions.

OPG also provided a list of facts about the project:

  • Greenfield development of a 28-megawatt hydroelectric generation facility on New Post Creek, located within the traditional territory of Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN). The station is located about 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls near the junction of New Post Creek and the Abitibi River.
  • The project was undertaken by the Peter Sutherland Sr. GS Limited Partnership between CRP and OPG. CRP is a company wholly owned by TTN.
  • The station is named after a respected TTN community elder, Peter Sutherland Sr.
  • The project was executed safely with no lost time incidents.
  • The $300 million project employed about 220 workers at peak.
  • The partnership has resulted in more than $50 million in contracts for TTN businesses and about 50 TTN members worked on the project.
  • The turbines use a portion of the water flowing down New Post Creek to generate electricity by moving water 250 metres through a penstock to the power house on the Abitibi River. The remaining water will continue to flow over the falls to maintain its natural beauty.
  • The project team installed two turbines, a steel penstock, a 340 metre- long open channel, a spillway dam and a seven kilometre transmission line.
  • Approximately 60 per cent of the total labour requirement for the on-site work was met by the northern Ontario labour market.
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