Construction Contract Awarded for Northwest Transmission Line

A contract to design the Northwest Transmission Line was awarded to Valard Construction and Burns & McDonnell, BC Hydro said.

The 344-kilometer, 287-kilovolt transmission line from Skeena Substation to Bob Quinn Lake is part of BC Hydro’s plan to expand its electricity system. The transmission line is expected to be in service in December 2013.

“We are pleased to have selected two high-quality contractors in the team of Valard Construction and Burns & McDonnell to build and design the Northwest Transmission Line,” said BC Hydro President and CEO Dave Cobb. “Both companies are leaders in the industry and these companies will provide the highest overall value to our ratepayers at the most cost-effective price.”

The transmission project is expected to create up to 840 direct jobs during the three years of construction. The project could attract up to C$15 billion in new investment and create more than 10,000 jobs over the next few decades, according to a 2008 report from the Mining Association of British Columbia.