Slave River Hydroelectric Development

Synopsis

Transcanada Corp. and ATCO Power are proposing a $5-$6 billion, 1800 MW "run-of-river" project on the Slave River in which water will be channelled through turbines - effectively damming the river. The location is south (upstream) of Fort Smith and the NWT-AB border. The river carries more than two-thirds of Alberta’s water flow north to Great Slave Lake. This section of the Slave is among the best whitewater kayaking in the world. The project was abandoned in October 2010.

Category Energy

Type Big Hydro

Prov AB

Region Northeast

Posted 28Dec09

Updated 02Feb12

Status Cancelled

Resolution

The project was abandoned in October 2010 after TransCanada and Atco Power failed to reach an agreement with the Smith's Landing First Nation. "Officials with ATCO said while the project is done for now, it hopes to revisit the idea in five or 10 years." Link

Contacts

LOCAL
COMMUNITY

Fort Smith Paddling Club, fskayak.webs.com, Kirsten Bradley, email form, 867-872-2847

PROVINCIAL
REGIONAL

Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Northwest Territories, www.cpawsnwt.org, Kris Brekke, Interim Executive Director, kris(at)cpaws.org, 867-873-9893

NWT Kayak Association, www.nwtkayak.com, nwtkayak(at)gmail.com

ABORIGINAL
GROUPS

NWT Metis Nation, www.nwtmetisnation.ca, info(at)nwtmetisnation.ca, 867-872-2770, Betty Villebrun, President, president.nwtmn(at)northwestel.net; Earl Jacobsen, Executive Director, execassist.nwtmn(at)northwestel.net

Salt River First Nation, www.srfn195.com, James Schaefer, Chief, chief(at)srfn195.com, 867-872-2986 (Fort Smith)

Smith's Landing First Nation, www.smithlanding.com, Fred Daniles, Chief, chief(at)smithlanding.com; Ms. Cec Heron, Resource Lands Manager, c_heron(at)smithlanding.com, 867-872-4950

PROPONENT

Transcanada Corp., www.transcanada.com, 403.920.2000, 800.661.3805

Atco Power Ltd., www.atcopower.com, email online form, 403-209-6900

More information

Location