Umbata Falls Official Opening
PIC RIVER FIRST NATIONS CELEBRATES OFFICIAL OPENING OF HYDROELECTRIC GENERATING STATION
Pic River First Nation's Chief Roy Michano addresses those gathered at the official opening of Umbata Falls generation facility. (see video below)
UMBATA FALLS GENERATION FACILTY, ON – Wednesday, September 8th, leaders, residents and dignitaries from Pic River First Nations along with dignitaries from neighbouring communities, including Town of Marathon Mayor Rick Dumas and council members, and provincial government and agencies, celebrated the official opening of the Umbata Falls hydroelectric generation station. Umbata is a ‘run of the river’ type facility, commissioned in 2008 and located on the White River, approximately 30 km South-east of Marathon, and has a contracted capacity of 23MW. Videos below include speaches by:
- Pic River First Nation Director of Energy, Byron LeClair
- Pic River First Nation Chief Roy Michano
- Innergex President Michelle Letellier
- Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forests the Hon. Michael Gravelle (video #3 following words from the president of Innergex).
Following congratulatory messages, several presentations were made including PRFN Director of Energy Byron LeClair presenting dignitaries who had been key in the success of the Umbata Falls project with dream catchers, a thank you on behalf of Pic River First Nation.
Dignitaries who received dream catchers from Pic River First Nation with Cheif Roy Michano and Director of Energy Byron LeClair.
Pic River First Nation Chief Roy Michano and Director of Energy Byron LeClair accept a beautiful canvas of aboriginal art from Barrick Gold Corp.Inside the Umbata Falls generating station; from left Michelle Letellier, President Innergex; Pic River First Nation Chief Roy Michano, the Hon. Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forests.
Umbata Falls Generating Station from www.PicRiver.com
The Umbata Falls hydroelectric generating station.
A day to celebrate diligence and collaborations; Michelle Letellier President of Innergex, the Hon. Micheal Gravelle Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forests and Pic River First Nation Chief Roy Michano outside the Umbata Falls hydroelectric generating station during its official opening, September 9th.
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ABOUT UMBATA FALLS
(from Ontario Power Authority website)
The Umbata Falls Generating Station was developed by Innergex Group for the Begetekong Power Corporation, the general partner of Umbata Falls, Limited Partnership (UFLP). Begetekong is majority owned by the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation. Begetekong holds the majority of shares of UFLP, with the remainder owned by Innergex Group.
The project is located on Crown Lands. In 1914, the Pic became a treaty reserve of its traditional inhabitants, the Ojibways of Pic River No. 50 First Nation.
The development rights for the Umbata Falls site were granted by the Minister of Natural Resources to the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation.
Umbata Falls Generating Station is a 2-unit “run-of-the-river” hydroelectric generating facility with a nameplate capacity of 25 MW located on the White River, 30 kilometres southeast of Marathon, and approximately 330 km east of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The facility consists of an overflow concrete dam to be built upstream of Umbata Falls on the west side of a natural island, a 14-metre long diversion canal with a 3-gated spillway, an intake structure, and a 483-metre long power tunnel to be excavated along the right bank. A 56-metre long steel penstock in the tunnel leads to a “Y” bifurcation, unit penstocks and two turbines in a surface powerhouse.
The combined rated flow for the turbines is 80 cubic metres per second with a maximum flow of 85 centimetres. The facility houses two 12.5 MW horizontal axis “SAM” Kaplan turbine units and operates under a rated net head of 32.80 metres. A 20-metre long tailrace channel returns the flow to the White River. Thirty km of existing access roads have been upgraded to access the facility from Highway 17.
The plant is connected to the existing Hydro One 115 kV circuit M2W to feed into the Ontario electricity market administered by the Independent Electricity System Operator. There is 23 kilometres of 115 kV wood pole transmission line establishing the connection from the facility to the IESO-controlled grid.
This hydroelectric generating facility will generate approximately 109,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year.
| Location: | Marathon, Ontario |
| River System: | White River |
| Nameplate Capacity: | 23 MW |
| OPA Contracted Capacity: | 23 MW |
| Developer: | Umbata Falls LP Begetekong Power Corporation, owned by the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation Innergex Group |
| Technology: | Run-of-the-river, hydroelectric |
| Turbines: | VA Tech Two SAM Kaplan units |
| Commercial Operation Date: | November 12, 2008 |
Links:
- Innergex Group
http://www.innergex.com - Umbata Project Website
http://www.begetekongpower.com/ - Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation Website
http://www.picriver.com
