735-kV Micoua–Saguenay LineINFORMATION ON THE SOLUTION SELECTED

CÔTE-NORD • MAY 2017

Hydro-Québec plans to build a 735-kV high-voltage line extending some 260 km between Micoua substation, in the Côte-Nord region, and Saguenay substation in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.

The new line will help maintain the reliability of Hydro-Québec’s transmission system. It has become necessary as a result of reduced electricity consumption in the Côte-Nord region and the decommissioning of thermal and nuclear generating stations in southern Québec.

These changes have led to an increase in the quantity of electricity transmitted to major load centres by the lines that make up the Manic–Québec corridor.

The new facilities will be commissioned in 2022.

Enlightening consultationsAfter several months of technical and environmental studies, and after meeting with a large number of people and community organizations through our public participation process, we have selected and optimized a lower-impact route for Côte-Nord.

The route takes into account sensitive components of the biophysical and human environments, technical constraints, economic aspects and the community’s concerns.

Lac Onatchiway

Lac La Mothe

Rivière Saguenay

Fleuve

Saint-Laurent

Vers le poste de la

Jacques-CartierSelected line route

Fleuve Saint-Laurent

CÔTE-NORD (09)SAGUENAY–LAC-SAINT-JEAN (02)

Bas-Saint-Laurent

Capitale-Nationale

(03)

Le Fjord-du-Saguenay (MRC)

Maria-Chapdelaine

(MRC)

La Haute-Côte-Nord (MRC)

Manicouagan (MRC)

Rimouski-Neigette (MRC)

Lac-Saint-Jean-Est (MRC)

Saguenay (TÉ)

Les Basques (MRC)

Le Domaine-

du-Roy (MRC)

La Mitis (MRC)

Charlevoix-Est (MRC)

Rivière-du-Loup (MRC)

Témiscouata (MRC)

Fleuve Saint-Laurent

Fleuve Saint-Laurent

Lac

Saint-Jean

Réservoir auxOutardes 4

Réservoir Pipmuacan

Lac

Péribonka

Réservoir Manic 3

Rivière

Portneuf

Rivièredu Sault aux

Cochons

Rivière Betsiamites

Saguenay

Micoua

Parc national des Monts-Valin

Proposed Brûlis du lac Frégate biodiversity reserve

Proposed Plateau-du-Lac-des-Huit-Chutes biodiversity reserve

Réserve fauniquedes Laurentides

Parc national duFjord-du-Saguenay

Réserve faunique des Laurentides

Alma

Saguenay

Labrieville

Territory claimed by the Innus

of Mashteuiatsh

Territory claimed by the

Innus of Pessamit

Territory claimed by the Innus of Essipit

Document for information purposes only. For any other use, please contact Géomatique at Hydro-Québec Innovation, équipement et services partagés.

0 15 30 km

MTM, Zone 7, NAD83 (SCRS)

Selected line route

3713

_bu_

hq_0

66_I

nfoS

olC

N_1

7051

2a.m

xd

Selected line route

Project components

161 kV

230 kV

315 kV

735 kV

Transmission substations and lines

Administrative region

Boundaries

Regional county municipality (MRC) or equivalent territory (TÉ)

Territory claimed by the Innus

Urban area

Côte-Nord (09)

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (02)

Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean (02)

Riviè

re-a

ux-O

utar

des,

NO

Lac-

au-B

roch

et, N

O

Mont-V

alin,

NO

Lac-

au-B

roch

et, N

O

La H

aute

-Côt

e-Nor

d (M

RC)

Manico

uaga

n (M

RC)

La H

aute

-Côt

e-Nor

d (M

RC)

Le F

jord

-du-

Sagu

enay

(MRC

)

735kV

315kV

315 kV

315

kV

315 kV

315kV

315 kV

3001-3002

7027

735 kV

735 kV

315 kV

735 kV

735 kV

LacKamiltaukas

Lac laCroix

LacÉdouard

Lac duChum

LacWapouche

LacLeman

Lac desCaribous

Lac àl'Ours

RéservoirPipmuacan

Lac auBrochet

LacRenouard

LacFrégate

Lac LeBarbier

Réservoir aux Outardes 4

LacCarteret

LacIsidore Rivière Betsiamites

Petit lacIsidore

385

385

389

389

389Lac desBaies

Lac laLoche

LacCabituquimats

Lac du Sault aux Cochons

LacKakuskanus

LacDodier

Lac auxVingt-Six Têtes

de Castor

Lac duDécès

LacBéliveau

LacDubuc

Rivièreaux

Outardes

R0953

R0951

R0951

R090

1

R0952

R095

4

R0960

R0200

R095

4

R0901

R0953

R0200

R0953

R0953

R0200

R0953R02

00

R0266

2

8

23

3

Auberge de laRouge outfitter

Lac Kakuskanusoutfitter

Rivière auxOutardes

Proposed Brûlis du lac Frégate

biodiversity reserve

Réserve debiodiversité projetée

des îles de l'estdu Pipmuacan

Micouasubstation

Outardessubstation

Bersimis-1generating stationand substation

Outardes-4 generating station and substation

Centrale auxOutardes-3

CentraleRené-Lévesque

Chenail duNord outfitter

Domainedu Canyon

DomaineOrégnac outfitter

Varin ZECLabrieville ZEC

Territory claimed bythe Innus of Pessamit

Selected line route

69°0'

69°0'

69°30'

69°30'70°0'

49°4

5'

49°1

5'70

°0'

49°45'49°30'

49°30'

49°0'

49°0'

Very steep slope

Rocky escarpment area

Technical constraints

Cottage or cabin (lease on public land)

Recreation/tourism facility (number)

Scenic area

Biophysical and human environment components

2

Study area

Selected line route

Proposed route

Project components

Experimental forest

Wetland

Biological refuge

Sensitive area – Forest- dwelling woodland caribou

Document for information purposes only. For any other use, please contact Géomatique at Hydro-Québec Innovation, équipement.

Fichier : 3713_buc3_get_081_section_Nord_170601a.mxdMTM, zone 7, NAD83 (CSRS)

km0 4.75 9.5

2

Route selected in Côte-NordHydro-Québec is proposing a route measuring approximately 126 km, with a 26-km stretch that runs along the existing line and a 100-km stretch that bypasses the proposed Brûlis du lac Frégate biodiversity reserve.

The route was optimized near Pipmuacan reservoir and northeast of the biodiversity reserve to take into account concerns expressed during the consultations and avoid important areas used by the Innus and vacationers.

The creation of a new corridor is required for system reliability. When a right-of-way already contains two 735-kV lines, a third 735-kV line must be kept at some distance.

CLEARINGClearing will begin in 2019, and will involve both mechanical and manual work. In sensitive environments, particularly along riparian strips, clearing will be done by hand and only trees and shrubs that grow higher than 2.5 m at maturity will be cut down.

ACCESS TO THE JOBSITEHydro-Québec’s strategy for accessing the jobsite is still preliminary. We plan to use the many existing roads and restore them after the work. If required, spur roads may be built to provide access to the future right-of-way.

RESTORATION Once the project is complete, the worksites around the towers will be cleaned, all waste will be removed from the site and the ground will be reshaped. Any infrastructure (roads, fences, etc.) damaged by the jobsite will be restored.

DID YOU KNOW?

MORE CONTENT AVAILABLE ONLINEReference documents,

detailed maps, informative videos and other additional information

can be found on the project Web site:

hydro.quebec/micouasaguenay.

Côte-Nord (09)

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (02)

Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean (02)

Riviè

re-a

ux-O

utar

des,

NO

Lac-

au-B

roch

et, N

O

Mont-V

alin,

NO

Lac-

au-B

roch

et, N

O

La H

aute

-Côt

e-Nor

d (M

RC)

Manico

uaga

n (M

RC)

La H

aute

-Côt

e-Nor

d (M

RC)

Le F

jord

-du-

Sagu

enay

(MRC

)

735kV

315kV

315 kV

315

kV

315 kV

315kV

315 kV

3001-3002

7027

735 kV

735 kV

315 kV

735 kV

735 kV

LacKamiltaukas

Lac laCroix

LacÉdouard

Lac duChum

LacWapouche

LacLeman

Lac desCaribous

Lac àl'Ours

RéservoirPipmuacan

Lac auBrochet

LacRenouard

LacFrégate

Lac LeBarbier

Réservoir aux Outardes 4

LacCarteret

LacIsidore Rivière Betsiamites

Petit lacIsidore

385

385

389

389

389Lac desBaies

Lac laLoche

LacCabituquimats

Lac du Sault aux Cochons

LacKakuskanus

LacDodier

Lac auxVingt-Six Têtes

de Castor

Lac duDécès

LacBéliveau

LacDubuc

Rivièreaux

Outardes

R0953

R0951

R0951

R090

1

R0952

R095

4

R0960

R0200

R095

4

R0901

R0953

R0200

R0953

R0953

R0200

R0953R02

00

R0266

2

8

23

3

Auberge de laRouge outfitter

Lac Kakuskanusoutfitter

Rivière auxOutardes

Proposed Brûlis du lac Frégate

biodiversity reserve

Réserve debiodiversité projetée

des îles de l'estdu Pipmuacan

Micouasubstation

Outardessubstation

Bersimis-1generating stationand substation

Outardes-4 generating station and substation

Centrale auxOutardes-3

CentraleRené-Lévesque

Chenail duNord outfitter

Domainedu Canyon

DomaineOrégnac outfitter

Varin ZECLabrieville ZEC

Territory claimed bythe Innus of Pessamit

Selected line route

69°0'

69°0'

69°30'

69°30'70°0'

49°4

5'

49°1

5'70

°0'

49°45'49°30'

49°30'

49°0'

49°0'

Very steep slope

Rocky escarpment area

Technical constraints

Cottage or cabin (lease on public land)

Recreation/tourism facility (number)

Scenic area

Biophysical and human environment components

2

Study area

Selected line route

Proposed route

Project components

Experimental forest

Wetland

Biological refuge

Sensitive area – Forest- dwelling woodland caribou

Document for information purposes only. For any other use, please contact Géomatique at Hydro-Québec Innovation, équipement.

Fichier : 3713_buc3_get_081_section_Nord_170601a.mxdMTM, zone 7, NAD83 (CSRS)

km0 4.75 9.5

3

In the sensitive area used by forest-dwelling woodland caribou, the selected route runs mainly through habitats that are already disturbed, thus limiting new disturbances. Within intact forests suitable to caribou, Hydro-Québec will propose mitigation measures such as wooded corridors to facilitate the movement of this species.

Distance covered by the line in the different territories

Route selected in Côte-Nord (126 km)

Unorganized territory in the regional county municipality (MRC) of La Haute-Côte-Nord (TNO de Lac-au-Brochet) 89 km

Unorganized territory in the MRC of Manicouagan (TNO de Rivière-aux-Outardes) 37 km

Territory claimed by the Innus

Territory claimed by the community of Pessamit 126 km

3713

_aff_

get_

064_

Coup

eTyp

e_V_

1705

05a.

ai

~ 48.7 m~ 48.7 m

Typical clearing: ~ 97.4 m

Max

imum

hei

ght:

56.7

mM

inim

um h

eigh

t: 38

.4 m

SouthNorth

Guyed V tower

3713

_aff_

get_

065_

Coup

eTyp

e_VX

_170

503a

.ai

Max

imum

hei

ght:

63.4

mM

inim

um h

eigh

t: 39

.0 m

Max

imum

hei

ght:

56.7

mM

inim

um h

eigh

t: 38

.4 m

~ 60.0 m~ 44.2 m~ 48.7 m

Typical clearing: ~ 64.5 m

~ 15.8 m

Existing line

SouthNorth

Planned line

Section built in a new corridor

Section running along the existing 735-kV line

TYPICAL TOWER AND RIGHT-OF-WAY

Advantages of selected route Thanks to the consultations, we were able to better understand the community’s concerns, including those related to land use.

The selected route avoids existing and planned biological refuges, crossings of large bodies of water and very rugged terrain. Whenever possible, the route also avoids recreational lakes. In addition, grouping facilities together over 26 km decreases the impact on the landscape and on land use. The route aims to preserve the areas valued and used by the Innus.

Ce document est également publié en français. This is a translation of the original French text.

2017E1036-A 100 %

Public participation For several months, Hydro-Québec has been informing and consulting the various groups affected by the project: official representatives of the communities, Aboriginal communities, local and environmental organizations, members of the business community, government departments, vacationers and land users.

To date, we have held some 30 meetings in Côte-Nord with these groups, received two dozen opinion submission forms and answered about 30 calls through our Info-project line. We have also conducted numerous personalized follow-ups at the request of stakeholders.

These exchanges are invaluable. They have allowed us to refine the analysis, improve the project and develop mitigation measures to limit the project’s impacts as much as possible.

The optimization work continues, as do discussions with the community.

Support for community development Hydro-Québec makes sure that its projects are an opportunity to participate in the development of the host communities through its Integrated Enhancement Program (IEP). Once the work has begun, the company grants eligible organizations funding equivalent to 1% of the initially authorized value of the new facilities covered by the IEP.

For more informationCôte-Nord

MARTINE LAPIERRE Advisor – Community Relations E-mail: lapierre.martine@hydro.qc.ca

Info-project line: 1 8 5 5 2 9 4-3 7 7 7

Relations with Aboriginal CommunitiesMARIE-FRANCE MCSWEEN Advisor – Relations with Aboriginal Communities E-mail: mcsween.marie-france@hydro.qc.ca Telephone: 5 1 4 2 8 9-2 2 1 1, ext. 6 6 2 7

hydro.quebec/micouasaguenay

Schedule

DRAFT DESIGN

Draft design studies and public participation 2016–2018

General information Winter 2016

Public consultation on routes Fall 2016 – winter 2017

Information on the solution selected Spring 2017

Filing of the environmental impact statement 2018

PROJECT

Government approvals 2018–2019

Construction 2019–2022

Commissioning 2022