Communication – Facilities
Application
AltaLink Management Ltd. (“AML”) applied for approval to connect Solar Krafte Utilities Inc.’s (“Solar Krafte”) Vauxhall Solar Farm to the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (“AIES”) through a new 100-meter, 138-kilovolt (“kV”) Transmission Line 763BL (“TL 763BL”). AML further applied to alter the existing Transmission Line 763L (“TL 763L”) and to install approximately 3 kilometers of underground fibre optic cable (collectively, the “Project”).
Decision
The AUC found the Project to be in the public interest and approved the application as filed.
Pertinent Issues
Solar Krafte has AUC approval to construct and operate the 60-megawatt (“MW”) Vauxhall Solar Power Plant (the “Power Plant”) and Solstice 549S Substation (the “Substation”), in the Vauxhall area.
The AESO approved the need to connect Solar Farm to the AIES through the abbreviated needs approval process. To meet the need identified by the AESO, AML filed applications with the AUC for approval of the required facilities.
The AUC reviewed the facilities and connection applications for the TL 793BL, TL 763L and the fibre optic cable and determined that the information requirements specified in Rule 007: Applications for Power Plants, Substations, Transmission Lines, Industrial System Designations, Hydro Developments and Gas Utility Pipelines (“Rule 007”) were met.
The AUC was satisfied that AML’s participant involvement program met the requirements of Rule 007. The AUC accepted that the Project’s environmental effects would be minimized with no significant adverse environmental impact.
Based on the foregoing, the AUC considered the Project to be in the public interest in accordance with s 17 of the Alberta Utilities Commission Act (“AUC Act”).
