Newfoundland's Granite Canal Hydroelectric Station in Commissioning Phase

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Researched by Industrailinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Crown Corporation Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (Saint John's, Newfoundland) is in the commissioning phase for the 40 megawatt (MW) Granite Canal Hydroelectric Station near Burgeo Newfoundland. Construction of the 40 MW Granite Hydroelectric Station started on May 25, 2001. The Project took about 20 years from planning to completion, starting in the early 1980's and all the necessary approvals were finalized late in 1999. Construction started in 2001 and completion is expected in 2003.

The station is to be unmanned and controlled with a microwave system at the Saint John's, Newfoundland main control complex. The station consists of a single vertical axis General Electric (GE) Kaplan style hydro turbine generator set. The plant is located between Granite Lake and Meelpaeg Reservoirs and and feeds into a 230kV transmission line. The project will cause no new flooding, and also has two canals and an underground steel penstock. Environmental issues to be addressed include water quality measures, caribou protection, fish habitat replacement, vegetation, erosion controls and waste disposal.

Three major contracts were awarded to build the new hydroelectric power station. The engineering and management contract was awarded to AGRA-BAE Newplan a Joint Venture (AMEC Engineering & Construction and SNC Lavalin) in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland; the general/civil contract was awarded to McNamara Construction Company also in Mount Pearl plus the water-to-wire contract to General Electric Hydro (Canada) (Lachine, Quebec). The powerhouse enclosure completion was in the spring of 2002 and has a proposed in-service date of June 1, 2003.

AMEC Incorporated (LSE: AMEC.L) (London, United Kingdom) is an engineering and construction firm started in 1848.

SNC-Lavalin (T: SNC) (Montreal, Quebec) is an engineering and construction firm started in 1911.

McNamara's Construction Company (Saint John's Newfoundland) is a division of Carillion Canada Incorporated which is a division of Carillion Incorporated (LSE: CLLN.I) (Wolverhampton, West Midlands, United Kingdom) an engineering and construction firm formerly known as Tarmac, Incorporated.

General Electric Hydro (Canada) is a division of General Electric Power Supply a division of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut).