December 22, 2014 – Alberta PowerLine Limited Partnership—involving Alberta-based Canadian Utilities Ltd. (an ATCO company) and U.S.-based Quanta Capital Solutions Inc.—has been awarded the contract for the Fort McMurray West 500kV Transmission Project.

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) says the competition attracted companies from across the globe. Ultimately, Alberta PowerLine Limited Partnership was selected as “the company that is both qualified to do the job and offered the lowest price”. Alberta PowerLine submitted a bid of $1.433 billion for the right to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facility for 35 years.

Under the partnership, Valard Construction (a Canadian subsidiary of Quanta) will provide turnkey EPC services for the project while ATCO Electric (an ATCO company) will be responsible for route planning and operations & maintenance of the transmission facilities (for 35 years).

The Fort McMurray West 500kV Transmission Project will consist of 500 km of transmission line between the Wabamun and Fort McMurray areas. The estimated in-service date is 2019. With the competition concluded, Alberta PowerLine can move forward with a facility application to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and proceed to deliver the project.

The proposed route, substations and design of the transmission line are subject to AUC approval. Over the coming months, Alberta PowerLine says it will be talking with landowners along the proposed route to discuss the project in more detail.