NSP project temporarily offline
New piece of equipment expected to arrive within the next week to 10 days
The project to install transmission lines along new Nova Scotia Power towers across the Strait of Canso has hit another snag.
Work had earlier shut down when a pilot line fell and those involved in the installation took time to review the incident.
NSP spokesperson Tiffany Chase said in an interview that work resumed at the site a few weeks ago to install the new power lines.
“After about a week’s worth of work, we have now briefly paused the work again, we have to secure a new piece of equipment that had the potential to damage and scrape the line during installation,” Chase said. “The piece of equipment is called a traveller and it’s essentially a little wheel that guides the line … while they’re installing the line. It’s very similar to what’s on a laundry line to keep the line in place as it travels back and forth.”
A new piece of the equipment has been ordered, Chase said, and it is expected to arrive within the next week to 10 days.
“Then we can resume work once again,” she said.
When work was paused at the site for the previous few months it did put the project behind its original schedule. But Chase said that once this part arrives and work resumes it is expected that it will take about four to six weeks to install the six new power lines on the transmission towers.
Work began in early 2017 to build six new transmission towers located across the Strait of Canso to improve service reliability by providing a backup power source between Cape Breton and the mainland. The 530-foot towers are the tallest transmission towers in Nova Scotia.
Chase said the project has two main benefits. It will provide enhanced service reliability as a backup power supply between mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton in the event that there is an outage that affects the primary high-voltage line that is adjacent to the new lines.
“We’ll be able to switch and restore power more quickly while repairs are underway,” she said.
The new line will also allow for the transmission of renewable energy from the Maritime Link, Chase added.
Once work resumes at the site, there may be times when travel restrictions will be put into place.
“It is a very complex project — we’re working over roadways, water and so we have a number of safety measures in place to keep the public and our employees safe while the work is underway,” Chase said. “We will let people know when those travel restrictions resume and what they will look like. Generally, it’s brief interruptions while we’re directly overhead.”