Black Lake gives green light to Tazi Twe hydro project
Expected to generate $1.3 billion for First Nation over 90-year life span
Black Lake community members have voted in favour of proceeding with the $630-million Tazi Twe hydroelectric project, a joint venture with SaskPower, Black Lake First Nation announced Thursday.
On Wednesday, members of the northern band voted 63 per cent in favour of the Tazi Twe hydro project, with 44 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot, the release said.
Chief Rick Robillard of Black Lake First Nation said the vote is great news for the Denesuline community of about 2,000 in the northeastern corner of the province. “Many people have been working toward this day for many years, and I’m happy to hear that our community is in support of Black Lake First Nation becoming proud owners in a profitable, long-term business.”
The Tazi Twe hydroelectric project is a proposed water diversion hydroelectric project that will supply 50 megawatts to the provincial power grid. It will be the first new hydro project in Saskatchewan in over 30 years, and is expected to bring $1.3 billion into the community over the project’s 90-year lifespan.
Taxi Twe will also be the first hydro project built entirely on reserve land in Saskatchewan. Black Lake First Nation and SaskPower signed an agreement in principle to build the project in 2013.
The framework agreement between SaskPower and Black Lake First Nation provides for a 30 per cent interest for Black Lake and will provide a cash flow stream to the band for the next 90 years. Black Lake also wanted the least amount of financial risk, and guarantees the project would have minimal impact on the land and traditional activities, said Ted De Jong, CEO of Tazi Twe. “I think we succeeded in all the criteria, and the community members showed their support through their vote (Wednesday).”
While the vote was held to determine the level of support for the project and partnership, the partnership agreements still need to be finalized and SaskPower must obtain provincial government approval before the project can proceed to construction, BLFN added.
Guy Bruce, vice-president of planning, environment and sustainable development for SaskPower, agreed that the project requires approval from the SaskPower board and cabinet before it can proceed. “This now has community support, one of the things that we wanted to make sure we had before we took it to the next step,’’ he said.
The run-of-the-river project at the former Elizabeth Falls (now Tazi Twe) near Fond du Lac has been in the works for over 20 years.
“That site has been looked at by SaskPower and other hydro developers for several decades,’’ Bruce said. “We really started looking in earnest at it about four years ago, when the Black Lake First Nation asked SaskPower to partner with them.’’
As run-of-the-river project, Tazi Twe will not involve any impounding of water by a dam, but rather by diverting water through an underground tunnel and two 25-megawatt turbines, making it less environmentally disruptive than conventional hydro projects, Bruce added.
The Ministry of Environment has completed a review of the project, but will need to hold public consultations. Construction of the project could start as soon as late 2016 or 2017, with a projected in-service date of 2019.