New Thunder Bay-Atikokan power line may be needed as mining sector grows: IESO

The group in charge of electricity distribution in the province says a new power line running from Thunder Bay to Atikokan will soon be needed due to increasing demand for power.

"When we look out over the next 20 years, we see a potential need for new supply in the north, particularly given some of the work that's going on ... around the expansion of the mining sector, including the Ring of Fire," said Terry Young, a vice-president with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). "We see a need, potential need, for new transmission facilities."

The new line would be called the Northwest Bulk Line, and the IESO is asking Hydro One to do some preliminary work looking into the cost, route, and timeline to build the line, Young said.

"The idea is to get as prepared as we can, so that should we need to go forward with this new line, we've done all the advanced work that needs to be done," Young said.

The Northwest Bulk Line, if it's constructed, would help move excess power from Thunder Bay, brought in through the East-West Tie Line, to other areas in the region, depending on need, Young said.

"It really depends on what's happening in the development up in the Northwest," he said. "If we see a rapid expansion of the mining sector, we see then new demand for electricity emerging."

"We see that those needs could emerge as soon as the early 2020s, so what we're trying to do now is be as ready as we can to respond."