AltaGas was awarded a power-supply agreement from BC Hydro to supply 102 MW of wind power to the British
Columbia power grid.
The Bear Mountain Wind Project consists of 34 wind turbine generators (WTG), and although it is
the second wind project to be initiated in British Columbia, it is the first to be connected to the British Columbia power
grid.
The Bear Mountain Wind Project is located southeast of Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Prototype 80-m tall 3-MW
Enercon WTG’s have been erected along the top of the Bear Mountain ridge. This area is densely forested crown land
utilized for forestry, but also provides for ranching, and leisure activities.
Because this was the first wind project in British Columbia, Hatch completed extensive technical studies prior to
implementation to assuage the governments concerns about integrating wind power in the BC power grid.
Hatch provided full EPCM services for the design, construction and commissioning of access roads, turbine pads,
substation, and associated 34.5-kV collection and 138-kV transmission systems for the Bear Mountain Wind Project.
- At 3 MW per machine, it is the largest wind turbine output machine in Canada to date
- The project was completed on budget and on schedule
- The project is remotely situated and required extensive logistical expertise in moving large and bulky wind turbine
generator components across vast distances. Sea, rail and road transport were all used to move more than 100 42-m long
wind turbine blades, 34 nacelles and hubs, and another 100 tower sections
- The project is located on complex terrain including a steep narrow ridge on which the turbine pads and access roads
had to be constructed. The access roads on site required specific construction detail in order to ensure the gradients,
curvatures and turns allowed for abnormal bulky loads to be delivered to the Bear Mountain ridge
- 240,000 work hours completed with zero lost-time incidents
“The services from Hatch on the Bear Mountain Wind Project were responsive and professional. They had
excellent engineering support, the construction management was very efficient and their site supervision
was focused on safety and results. It was a great pleasure working with them on this very successful
project.”
Marc Boucher, Project Manager, Bear Mountain Wind Limited Partnership (AltaGas)
November 2009
