Completion of Highway 37 power line hailed

Glen Wonders, vice-president for AME BC. — Photo courtesy Association for Mineral Exploration BC

The official completion of BC Hydro’s Northwest Transmission Line (NTL) was recognized recently with a plaque at the crown corporation’s Skeena Substation. The facility is Kilometre 0 of the line that stretches 344 kilometres north of Terrace, British Columbia, to a newly built substation at Bob Quinn Lake, B.C.

The $746-million, 287-kilovolt line was energized in July 2014. It was built to provide stable and affordable power to mining and other developments and to transmit power into the provincial grid from power projects in the region. Construction of the line began in 2012.

In an announcement, Glen Wonders, the newly appointed vice-president of technical and government affairs of the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC), said the NTL crosses the traditional territory of several First Nations.

“We acknowledge that this transmission line is in the traditional territory of the Nisga’a Nation, Kitsumkalum First Nation, three Gitxsan Houses, Gitanyow Nation, Skii km Lax Ha, Kitselas First Nation, Metlakatla First Nation, Lax Kw’alaams Indian Band and Tahltan Nation,” Wonders said.

Many AME BC members have developed close business and personal relationships with Aboriginal communities in the area that may be served by the NTL.

“It is our expectation that mineral exploration and development projects will continue to be a major source of employment for local First Nations,” Wonders said. “Canada’s mineral exploration and mining industry is the largest private sector employer of Aboriginal peoples, and this is evident in the area served by the Northwest Transmission Line. The transmission line provides the necessary infrastructure to keep and create local jobs in northern B.C. and provide significant benefits for multiple generations.”

The NTL, which is made up of 1,092 tower structures, connects much of northwestern B.C. with renewable energy. It will take communities off diesel power and provide renewable energy to the BC Hydro electrical grid.

The transmission line has the potential to serve communities in the region as well as current and proposed mine projects in an area of B.C. that is the size of France. This region, which is known to mineral explorers and developers as the Golden Triangle, has more than 935 mineral occurrences, including 10 potential new mines that have the potential to provide more than 4,000 direct jobs and $18 billion in capital investment.

The first customer to take power from the line will be Imperial Metals Corporation of Vancouver, B.C., for its Red Chris copper mine, which is now being commissioned.

Imperial Metals built a second transmission line from the Bob Quinn Lake substation north along Highway 37 North to a point where it then built a smaller line to the Red Chris property.

Wonders was recently appointed to the new position. He will be responsible for issues related to land access and use, permitting, Aboriginal engagement, economic incentives, and health and safety.

He will also develop and strengthen relationships with AME BC’s volunteer committees, industry and business partner organizations, environmental groups, Aboriginal communities and government leaders.
Before joining AME BC, Wonders was general manager of mining and division manager at Allnorth Consultants Ltd. in Prince George, B.C. He was also vice-president of corporate affairs and sustainability at Terrane Metals Corporation. His responsibilities at Terrane included First Nations consultation and agreements, winning regulatory approvals for the Mount Milligan gold and copper mine project and managing community and government affairs.

Wonders has extensive government experience, having served as director of B.C. Coal Resources with the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (now the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines).

Wonders has been a long-time committee volunteer and member of AME BC and has been active with several regional exploration groups in B.C. He is currently a director of the Prince George Exploration Group and a director of the Canadian Institute of Mining, North Central B.C. Branch. He is also a standing board member of the Duz Cho Group of Companies, which is wholly owned by the McLeod Lake Indian Band.

Wonders has a master of business administration degree from Royal Roads University and a bachelor of science degree from the University of Alberta.

AME BC is the lead association for the mineral exploration and development industry in B.C. Established in 1912, AME B.C. represents, advocates, protects and promotes the interests of thousands of members who are engaged in mineral exploration and development in B.C. and throughout the world.

NTL fed by run-of-the-river hydro project

The NTL recently started to receive power from AltaGas Ltd.’s 195-megawatt Forrest Kerr run-of-the-river hydroelectric project. Final commissioning of the powerhouse systems and high-voltage switch yard was completed in July 2014, and the facility is now tied in and delivering power to the line at Bob Quinn Lake.

Located approximately 1,000 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, Forrest Kerr captures the energy produced by the natural flow and elevation drop of the Iskut River to produce and deliver clean, renewable power to the grid.

The project will contribute to the Province of British Columbia’s goal to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2016, and it helps B.C. meet its clean energy needs in an environmentally and socially responsible manner by offsetting the use of electricity generated from fossil fuels.

The NTL recently started to receive power from AltaGas Ltd.’s 195-megawatt Forrest Kerr run-of-the-river hydroelectric project. Final commissioning of the powerhouse systems and high-voltage switch yard was completed in July 2014, and the facility is now tied in and delivering power to the line at Bob Quinn Lake.

Located approximately 1,000 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, Forrest Kerr captures the energy produced by the natural flow and elevation drop of the Iskut River to produce and deliver clean, renewable power to the grid.

The project will contribute to the Province of British Columbia’s goal to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2016, and it helps B.C. meet its clean energy needs in an environmentally and socially responsible manner by offsetting the use of electricity generated from fossil fuels.