Poor turnout can’t stop conversation about important Black Lake power project

Robillard was pleased with the discussion however.

After an informational video explaining the project, Ted de Jong, CEO of the Elizabeth Falls Hydro-electric Company, fielded questions and concerns from attendees.

The largest concern was the impact the Tazi Twe project will have on the environment.

The power plant is designed as a run-of-the-river plant. Water from Black Lake is diverted through a tunnel into the plant to power turbines. The water then flows out of the turbine back into the water supply.

Dams, which involve flooding the land, are not involved.

Throughout the night de Jong stressed that the water was not affected by the process. “It’s pure when it starts and pure when it comes out.” No water is lost by the process.

A run-of-the-river power plant is designed to have minimal environmental impact.

Water is drawn from near the surface of the lake where fewer fish live. The water intake will be located along a section of the Black Lake shoreline that is not home to fish habitats or spawning areas.

A language barrier also proved to be a difficult issue to overcome.

At meetings in Black Lake, Dene translators had been on hand to help residents understand the complicated scientific and economic terms.

There were no translators at this meeting.

Robillard said they had not expected to need translators given how far south in the province they were, and that there would most likely be translators at future meetings.

June Strong, the employment and training coordinator for Black Lake First Nation, fought to have the information presented in a better way.

“We’ve got history, we’ve got stories behind this water. We need to understand it in our language if we’re going to play with it.”

Robillard suggested a diorama or visualization to help band members understand how the power plant would work.

“I’ve noticed our community members, especially our elders, are very visual people. I thought if we could have had an animation of what the project will look like, and how it will operate, it would be easier to convey the information and inform the people.”

This will be the second run-of-the-river hydro-electric power plant in Saskatchewan, and the biggest by a significant amount.Construction will provide several hundred jobs.

Operation of the plant will take between six to eight employees, three of which are already in training.

This type of hydro-electric plant has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Construction of the Tazi Twe Hydro-electric project will be handled by Kiewit, a construction company based in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kiewit’s Aboriginal Liaison James Williams was involved in the construction of the Kokish run-of-the-river project on Vancouver Island.

He considers it a very successful project, and says it has become a spawning channel for five different species of salmon.

“It was an environmentally sensitive job, and everything is running well.”

The next step of the project is a vote by the membership of Black Lake First Nation. The vote has been scheduled for Nov. 18.

Members will be able to advance vote in Prince Albert Nov. 13, and in Black Lake Nov. 9.

If approved, Black Lake First Nation will receive 2 million at the beginning of the project, and stand to earn 1.2 billion from the power plant over several decades.

In previous meetings where the proposal was drafted, the community agreed that the Chief and Council would not have access to funds from the project. Instead a Tazi Twe Community Trust has been created to safeguard the funds.

Trustees will make funding decisions and allocate money to the Black Lake First Nation. It will be comprised of three elected Black Lake members, one elder appointed by the Black Lake Council of elders, and a corporate trustee (most often a bank or registered financial institution).

The proposed site for the Tazi Twi project has already been determined. A 99 year lease on the land started in 2009.

When that lease expires, Black Lake First Nation will have a chance to buy the plant and own it fully, or let the project be discontinued.

Despite the sometimes testy back-and-forth between Black Lake members and de Jong, Robillard was confident that the power plant will be approved by the membership.

“I like to believe that it will pass. This is the opportunity of a life time.”

Updates on the project and environmental assessment reports can be found here.

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit

by Spencer Sterritt

Poor turnout can’t stop conversation about important Black Lake power project

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