Robert-Bourassa generating station
Encyclopedia
The Robert-Bourassa generating station (formerly known as La Grande-2) is a hydroelectric
power station on the La Grande River
that is part of Hydro-Québec
's James Bay Project
in Canada
. The station can generate 5,616 MW and its 16 units were gradually commissioned between 1979 and 1981.
Together with the adjacent 2,106 MW La Grande-2-A generating station (LG-2-A), commissioned in 1991-1992, it uses the reservoir and dam
system of the Robert-Bourassa Reservoir
to generate electricity. The two plants taken together account for more than 20 % of Hydro-Québec's total installed capacity of 36,810 MW in 2009. It is Canada's largest hydroelectric power station and currently ranks in 8th place on the list of largest hydroelectric power stations.
Initially known as La Grande-2, it was renamed after Robert Bourassa
who, as Premier of Quebec
(1970-1976 and 1985-1994) gave the James Bay Project a vital political impetus.
, a large hydroelectric
complex built on the La Grande River
, a large river in Quebec's scarcely populated northern Quebec
. It was also the first to be built, between 1974 and 1981. It was inaugurated by Premier René Lévesque
of Quebec, on October 27, 1979.
Conception work on the generating station, dam and reservoir began in October 1970, when Montreal-based engineering firm Rousseau Sauvé Warren (RSW) was given by Hydro-Québec to make the case for the development of the La Grande River. Another engineering firm, Asselin, Benoît, Boucher, Ducharme & Lapointe (ABBDL) was tasked with a feasibility study on the more southerly NBR (Nottaway, Broadback, Rupert) concept. At RSW, the development of the La Grande River was championed by François Rousseau, one of firms associates and a former Hydro-Québec senior engineer.
A final decision to build the hydroelectric complex on the La Grande hydrographic system was made in 1972, after engineers determined the NBR project would be less cost effective because of the silt
y nature of the soils in the NBR area. The La Grande option had the added advantages of a lesser impact on First Nations hunting and fishing, on the boreal forest and would require less flooding.
of various sizes closes the reservoir. They are organized in three group: dykes D1-D4 are located north of the spillway, nicknamed the Staircase of the Giants, D5-D14 are located on the left shore of the river while a third group, nicknamed the Duncan dykes (D17-D27), are located 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) south. The dam and dykes hold a reservoir covering an area of 2835 square kilometres (1,094.6 sq mi) with an useful capacity of 19.365 billion m³.
The generating station itself is located underground, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) downstream from the main dam. It hosts 16 Francis turbines, set up in two groups of eight each.
In 1974, in what was one of the most extreme cases of workplace sabotage
up to that point in time, workers at the La Grande-2 site used bulldozers to topple electric generators, damaged fuel tanks, and set buildings on fire. The project was delayed a year, and the direct cost of the damage estimated at $2 million CAD. The causes were not clear, however three factors have been cited: inter-union rivalry, poor working conditions, and the perceived arrogance of American executives at the contractor, Bechtel Corporation
.
The first challenge involved deploying teams of land surveyors and lumberjacks by seaplanes and helicopters to clear a path for a permanent road. Parallel to the path, a few kilometers away, an ice road
was built to move heavy machinery north. The first milestone was reached on February 11, 1972, with the opening of the 555 metres (1,820.9 ft) ice bridge crossing the Rupert River.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power station on the La Grande River
La Grande River
La Grande River is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River....
that is part of Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
's James Bay Project
James Bay Project
The James Bay Project is a series of hydroelectric development with a combined installed capacity of over 16,000 megawatts built since 1974 for Hydro-Québec by the on the La Grande and other rivers of Northern Quebec....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The station can generate 5,616 MW and its 16 units were gradually commissioned between 1979 and 1981.
Together with the adjacent 2,106 MW La Grande-2-A generating station (LG-2-A), commissioned in 1991-1992, it uses the reservoir and dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
system of the Robert-Bourassa Reservoir
Robert-Bourassa Reservoir
The Robert-Bourassa Reservoir is a man-made lake in northern Quebec, Canada. It was created in the mid 1970s as part of the James Bay Project and provides the needed water for the Robert-Bourassa and La Grande-2-A generating stations. It has a maximum surface area of , and a surface elevation...
to generate electricity. The two plants taken together account for more than 20 % of Hydro-Québec's total installed capacity of 36,810 MW in 2009. It is Canada's largest hydroelectric power station and currently ranks in 8th place on the list of largest hydroelectric power stations.
Initially known as La Grande-2, it was renamed after Robert Bourassa
Robert Bourassa
Jean-Robert Bourassa, was a politician in Quebec, Canada. He served as the 22nd Premier of Quebec in two different mandates, first from May 12, 1970, to November 25, 1976, and then from December 12, 1985, to January 11, 1994, serving a total of just under 15 years as Provincial Premier.-Early...
who, as Premier of Quebec
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
(1970-1976 and 1985-1994) gave the James Bay Project a vital political impetus.
Context
The Robert-Bourassa generating station is the main facility of the James Bay hydroelectric projectJames Bay Project
The James Bay Project is a series of hydroelectric development with a combined installed capacity of over 16,000 megawatts built since 1974 for Hydro-Québec by the on the La Grande and other rivers of Northern Quebec....
, a large hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
complex built on the La Grande River
La Grande River
La Grande River is a river in northwestern Quebec, Canada, which rises in the highlands of north central Quebec and flows roughly west to drain into James Bay. It is the second largest river in Quebec, surpassed only by the Saint Lawrence River....
, a large river in Quebec's scarcely populated northern Quebec
Nord-du-Québec
Nord-du-Québec is the largest of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. With , of which are lakes and rivers, it covers much of the Labrador Peninsula and about 55% of the total land surface area of Quebec....
. It was also the first to be built, between 1974 and 1981. It was inaugurated by Premier René Lévesque
René Lévesque
René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec, , the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec...
of Quebec, on October 27, 1979.
Conception work on the generating station, dam and reservoir began in October 1970, when Montreal-based engineering firm Rousseau Sauvé Warren (RSW) was given by Hydro-Québec to make the case for the development of the La Grande River. Another engineering firm, Asselin, Benoît, Boucher, Ducharme & Lapointe (ABBDL) was tasked with a feasibility study on the more southerly NBR (Nottaway, Broadback, Rupert) concept. At RSW, the development of the La Grande River was championed by François Rousseau, one of firms associates and a former Hydro-Québec senior engineer.
A final decision to build the hydroelectric complex on the La Grande hydrographic system was made in 1972, after engineers determined the NBR project would be less cost effective because of the silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
y nature of the soils in the NBR area. The La Grande option had the added advantages of a lesser impact on First Nations hunting and fishing, on the boreal forest and would require less flooding.
Construction
The main dam is located 117.5 kilometres (73 mi) from the mouth of the river, in the transition zone between the plateau and the coastal plain, and has a maximum height of 162 metres (531.5 ft). Twenty-nine dykesLevee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
of various sizes closes the reservoir. They are organized in three group: dykes D1-D4 are located north of the spillway, nicknamed the Staircase of the Giants, D5-D14 are located on the left shore of the river while a third group, nicknamed the Duncan dykes (D17-D27), are located 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) south. The dam and dykes hold a reservoir covering an area of 2835 square kilometres (1,094.6 sq mi) with an useful capacity of 19.365 billion m³.
The generating station itself is located underground, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) downstream from the main dam. It hosts 16 Francis turbines, set up in two groups of eight each.
In 1974, in what was one of the most extreme cases of workplace sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
up to that point in time, workers at the La Grande-2 site used bulldozers to topple electric generators, damaged fuel tanks, and set buildings on fire. The project was delayed a year, and the direct cost of the damage estimated at $2 million CAD. The causes were not clear, however three factors have been cited: inter-union rivalry, poor working conditions, and the perceived arrogance of American executives at the contractor, Bechtel Corporation
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
.
Road
The first step towards the construction of the La Grande-2 generating station took place in June 1971, in Matagami, a small mining town located 630 kilometres (391.5 mi) south of La Grande River. Engineering firm Desjardins, Sauriol and Associates were tasked with the construction of a basic road to the future site and the Cree settlement at Fort George. The deadline was tight: 450 miles (724.2 km) in 450 days.The first challenge involved deploying teams of land surveyors and lumberjacks by seaplanes and helicopters to clear a path for a permanent road. Parallel to the path, a few kilometers away, an ice road
Ice road
Ice roads are frozen, human-made structures on the surface of bays, rivers, lakes, or seas in the far north. They link dry land, frozen waterways, portages and winter roads, and are usually remade each winter. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access...
was built to move heavy machinery north. The first milestone was reached on February 11, 1972, with the opening of the 555 metres (1,820.9 ft) ice bridge crossing the Rupert River.
See also
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
- List of hydroelectric stations in Quebec
- Reservoirs and dams in Canada