Bipole III Transmission Line

Province: Manitoba

City/Region: Winnipeg

Image Credit: Manitoba Hydropower

NR

Project Rank

Back to Top100 Infrastructure Projects

Project Type: Transmission

Industry Sector: Energy

Project Amount: $5.04 billion

Date of Completion: 2018

Funding Source: Public

Provincial Funding: Manitoba Hydro: $5.04 billion

Previous Rankings

20189
201710
20167
20158
20149

About The Project

In Manitoba, more than 70 per cent of its hydro runs south over Bipole I and II, side-by-side transmission lines in the Interlake region. The close proximity of the two lines makes the province’s electricity supply vulnerable in the event of a weather incident or forest fire. The Bipole III line is designed to be an alternate path for electricity distribution, enhancing the reliability of Manitoba Hydro’s electrical system. The project includes construction of a 500,000-volt DC transmission line and two converter stations. The transmission line will run along the west side of Manitoba, from the Keewatinok Converter Station down to Riel Convertor station, to be located near Winnipeg. The preferred route is about 1,384 kilometres. The line and its increasing costs have sparked considerable debate throughout the province. Bipole III will also provide for additional transmission capability to accommodate new northern generating stations (such as the Keeyask Generating Station) as those plants come on line in future years.

Construction began in 2013 with civil site preparation for the Keewatinok station, construction power, clearing of northern components of transmission lines, and installation of foundations, as well as continued development of the Keewatinok Camp. Construction power was put into service in July 2014, and the contract to design, supply, and install equipment and buildings for the two convertor stations was signed in October 2014.

In 2017, work began on the mechanical installation process at the Riel Converter Station. The Bipole III project requires synchronous condensers at the Riel Converter Station in order to support the operation of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) equipment and conversion of DC power to AC power for the southern Manitoba power grid. The line’s anticipated in-service date is 2018.

Project Owner: Manitoba Hydro

Project/Construction Manager: Tetra Tech (construction management support)

Engineer: Teshmont Consultants (owner’s engineer on converter stations); Stantec (converter station civil design); Sigfasson Northern (Keewatinoow civil site development)

Contractor: Siemens Canada and Mortenson Canada (design, supply, and install the high-voltage direct current equipment and buildings); Voith Hydro and Stuart Olsen Constructors Inc. (mechanical installation at Riel Converter Station)

Other Key Players: Aon (risk/insurance advisor to authority); CMC Consultants (initial routing study); Joro Consultants and Wildlife Resources Consulting Services (wildlife impact); KPMG (commercial advisor); WSP (geomatics services); North/South Consultants (environmental); Englobe (QA inspection services); Golder Associates

Other Suppliers: Outland Camps (Keewatinok camp supply); SNC-Lavalin (Keewatinok switchyard supply); Voith Hydro (design and installation of synchronous condensers); Canam Group

Legal: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (represented Manitoba Hydro)

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