A single source of power

Brucejack Mine 138 kV Transmission Line

The Brucejack Mine—which, if you could drive to it from Vancouver, would be a trip of more than 17 hours—needed a safe, reliable power supply in order to start mining operations. The new transmission line had to cross glaciers, snowfields, bedrock, and forests as well as serve the mine for the next 30 years. It would reach elevations of up to 2,000 metres, and a large portion would have to be constructed by helicopter to reduce the number of necessary access roads.

Our contribution to Brucejack’s endeavor was the detailed design and issued for construction (IFC) drawings for the 57-kilometre transmission line segment north of Stewart, BC. To cross a glacier span of 2.2 kilometres, we proposed and included a special conductor previously never used in Canada. Why go with something innovative? Because the reliability of this transmission line was paramount. As the single source of power to the mine, any disruptions to the power supply meant complete interruptions to mine operations.

In addition to detailed design, we provided engineering, procurement, and construction management services that would be key in delivering this project to such a remote and challenging physical environment. With this segment of transmission line completed, Brucejack Mine was closer than ever to starting mining operations as planned.