Electrical Transmission Line Construction Could Electrify $22 Billion in Planned Mining Projects in Northwest British Columbia

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The revivification of BC Hydro's (Vancouver, British Columbia) Northwest Transmission project, a 344-kilometer, 287-kilovolt power transmission line that will provide electricity to previously non-electrified remote northwest British Columbia, could be a boon for more than a dozen mining projects in the area.

Click on the image at right to view a list of the 14 mining projects impacted by the Northwest Transmission Project.

The $400 million transmission line project was put on hold in late 2007 when then proponents NovaGold (AMEX:NG) (Vancouver, British Columbia) and Teck Resources Limited (NYSE:TCK) (Vancouver, British Columbia) pulled financial support after construction of the massive Galore Creek project was suspended. The Galore Creek project experienced giant cost increases and became a victim of the economic downturn. For details, view related November 29, 2007, news article - Construction Stoppage at Major Canadian Mine Emphasizes Problems Facing Major Construction Projects Going into 2008.

Since that time, NovaGold and Teck have restarted design on Galore Creek with hopes of starting construction in 2014, after the Northwest Transmission project is scheduled to be operational.

Originating at the Skeena electrical substation near Terrace, British Columbia, the Northwest transmission line will terminate at a new electrical substation to be built at Bob Quinn Lake.

According to Industrial Info's North American Industrial Database, there are 77 active mining projects totaling more than $35 billion in British Columbia. At least 14 of those projects totaling more than $22 billion will be impacted by the Northwest Transmission project.

In September 2011, BC Hydro selected the team of Valard Construction (Vancouver, British Columbia), a Quanta Services Company (NYSE:PWR) and Burns & McDonald (Kansas City, Missouri) to design and build the project. Preconstruction activity is well under way, with full-scale construction scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2012. Completion is scheduled by December 2013.

View Project Report - 57000906

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