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On Thursday, February 9, the Coast of Bays
Corporation made
a presentation at the Provincial Energy Consultations in Grand
Falls-Windsor. In attendance were the Hon. Ed Byrne, Minister of
Natural Resources, Mr. Adam Sparkes, ADM, Department of Natural
Resources and local MHAs Ray Hunter and Clayton Forsey.
The Coast of Bays presentation focused around the development of
Island Pond and Round Pond. These areas were identified as potential
developments by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in the 1980s and the
1990s and would provide an estimated total of 54 MW of energy to the
provincial grid. According to the Provincial Energy Plan Discussion
Paper, the demand for electricity on the island is growing at about 1%
a year and at that rate, demand will exceed installed capacity by 2009
– a mere three years away.
With the current cost of crude on the world markets
at an all time high, hydroelectricity is one of the cheapest methods
of electrical generation, and the cleanest. As Canada, and indirectly,
Newfoundland and Labrador, is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol,
generation of electricity using a clean, renewable resources would add
to Canada’s environmental credits towards this global initiative to
reduce greenhouse gases. The development of Round Pond and Island Pond
would allow water in the Bay D’Espoir watershed to be used five
times before emptying into the ocean – Granite Canal, Island Pond,
Upper Salmon, Round Pond and Bay D’Espoir, providing the province
with substantial energy and revenues.
According to 1997 Environmental Assessment
registration documents, the Island Pond project would require 36
months for engineering and construction and require approximately
3,000 person months over its construction period. It was anticipated
that an average of 125 persons per month would be required with a peak
of approximately 200 persons during construction.
In addition to the direct employment opportunities
for such developments, the Coast of Bays Corporation analyses all
aspects of the infrastructure after development. The 16 kilometer road
connection between the North Salmon Road and Ebbegunbaeg would provide
a number of benefits:
1. an economical and time saving
transportation link for hydro workers traveling to facilities in
central. The distance from Bay D’Espoir to Granite Canal would
be 144 kilometers versus the current 338 kilometers via central
Newfoundland, less than half the distance.
2. access to additional timber resources in
Forest Management Area 7
3. access for mineral exploration
4. a transportation link with central and the
west coast via the Burgeo Highway, and
5. new opportunities for tourism ventures
taking advantage of the access road network in the central
region
With the demand for electrical energy increasing
and the cost of crude oil at an all time high, being driven by
geo-political circumstances and world wide weather events,
developments such as Island Pond and Round Pond are very economical to
establish. The Coast of Bays presentation pointed out to the panel the
resources available for development and the benefits for all parties.
Minister Byrne, in his closing remarks, noted that developments, such
as Island Pond and Round Pond, will be the next generation of
developments to meet the energy shortfall the province is facing.
The Coast of Bays Corporation will endeavour to put
this to the forefront at every opportunity for the benefit of the
region and the province.
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