The Lower Observatory Inlet Project Cluster consists of the Granby Bay Projects, Clary Creek Project and Kelskiist Creek Project. The projects will share a 17 km, 69 kV transmission line connecting to the switchyard near the town of Kitsault.
Granby Bay Projects
Capacity: 35 MW
The Granby Bay Projects consist of the 30 MW Anyox Creek Project plus the 5 MW run-of-river Upper Bonanza Creek / Sidehill Creek Project. The projects are located on the shores of Granby Bay, on Observatory Inlet, in northwest BC.
The Anyox Creek powerhouse is located at tidewater and captures 178 m of gross head below Anyox Lake. Anyox Lake was created by the construction of a 42 m high and 208 m long (138 ft x 682 ft), multiple arch concrete dam constructed in the 1920's to regulate flows for hydro generation that supplied the local mining operation. The structure was deactivated in the late 1930's. Considerable structural and material review has resulted in a design for the refurbishment to a current standard of safety and operation. At the 30 MW design capacity, the lake provides enough storage to operate for 18 days at full production with no net inflows, which provides considerable production and economic benefits.
Hydrologic studies have been completed using nearby watersheds with long-term Water Survey of Canada flow gauges, and over 5 years of on-site gauge data. Field work and environmental reports are largely complete, with additional work ongoing to update the environmental management plan.
The project has received its Conditional Water License and has been issued a Leave to Commence Construction. Further, a Memorandum of Understanding has been entered into with the Gingolx Village Government for the Anyox Creek and Upper Kitsault River projects. The site is construction ready with substantial infrastructure in place including barge and offloading facilities, a 75-man camp facility, 5 km of roads connecting the dam to the lower works, and installation of the upper and lower tunnel portals including initial mining of 50 m and 115 m at the upper and lower tunnel faces respectively.
The Upper Bonanza/Sidehill Creek Project considers a 5 MW project on approximately 200 m of head. The project would utilize access, transmission and operational infrastructure associated with the Anyox Creek Project.
Clary Creek Project
Capacity: 12 MW
Clary Creek flows into the Illiance River near its mouth at Alice Arm. The development on the Illiance River is in the upper reaches of the watershed.
The Clary Creek Project is a 12 MW run-of-river hydroelectric plant utilizing a developed head of 480 m. The plant will be intertied via a 2.5 km transmission line constructed along the powerhouse access road to the BCTC grid at Kitsault. The project works are situated on crown lands, with the water licensing and land tenure applications submitted in 2001. Full rights to the site will be granted following completion of the water licensing process. A stream flow gauge was installed in May 2004 and environmental investigations were initiated in 2006. The 2009 program includes continued environmental investigations and completion of the preliminary design.
Kelskiist Creek Project
Capacity: 14 MW
The project is located approximately 10 km southeast from the Granby Bay Projects, on the eastern side of Observatory Inlet.
The Kelskiist Creek Project is a 14 MW run-of-river hydroelectric plant developing 235 m of head and is located entirely on crown land. The water licensing and land tenure process was initiated in 2002 and will accelerate over 2009. Full rights to the site will only be granted following completion of the water licensing process. A stream flow gauging station was installed in May 2004 and we have continued to collect flow data. Environmental investigations were initiated in 2006 and are ongoing with a terrestrial, navigational, and archaeological study program planned for the summer of 2009. LIDAR mapping of the project was completed in 2007 and engineering planning and optimization studies are underway.
