Imperial Metals Corporation announced on Friday that it has entered into a transmission development agreement with BC Hydro for the construction of a transmission line (NTL Extension) that will extend the 287kV Northwest Transmission Line (NTL) in northwest British Columbia from Bob Quinn to Tatogga, a distance of approximately 93 km.
The NTL Extension will provide clean, grid-supplied power to residents of Iskut and to the proposed Red Chris Mine, which is wholly owned by Imperial.
The NTL Extension will be constructed by a subsidiary of Imperial. BC Hydro will acquire the NTL Extension upon completion. Any costs over $52 million will be borne by Imperial as its contribution to the NTL Extension in order to make the 287kV service connection to the Red Chris Mine. In addition, Imperial will contribute to the cost of building the NTL through a special tariff approved by the BC Utilities Commission. The expected in service date for both the NTL Extension and the NTL is May 31, 2014.
Imperial is an exploration, mine development and operating company based in Vancouver. The company operates the Mount Polley open pit copper/gold mine and has 50 per cent interest in the Huckleberry open pit copper/molybdenum mine.
Imperial is the part-owner (50 per cent joint venture) of the Ruddock Creek lead/zinc property near Tum Tum Lake east of Avola.
BC Hydro confirmed last February that it had stopped planning for a second transmission line into the North Thompson Valley. The second line would be required to operate Yellowhead Mining’s proposed copper-gold-silver mine at Harper Creek near Vavenby.
The public utility company said the decision to resume planning for the new transmission line would depend on whether large industrial loads materialize in this region.
