Transmission Projects
At the end of 2017, all transmission line construction required for the project including the Labrador Transmission Assets, Labrador-Island Link (LIL) and the Strait of Belle Isle Marine Cable Crossing was completed. Using a portion of the LIL, the transmission project safely delivered initial power from the Churchill Falls generating station to the island in 2018. Bipole commissioning of the LIL (bipole is both of the LIL transmission lines) is ongoing.
Labrador-Island Link (LIL)
The LIL carries electricity from the generating facility at Muskrat Falls in Labrador to Newfoundland. It’s an 1,100 km 900 megawatt High Voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission line running from central Labrador, crossing the Strait of Belle Isle, and extending to Soldiers Pond on the Avalon Peninsula.
The following transmission components were constructed:
- A converter station at Muskrat Falls to change alternating current (ac) power into direct current (dc) power.
- 400 km of High Voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission line from the Muskrat Falls converter station to the Strait of Belle Isle at Forteau Point.
- 35 km underwater cable crossing across the Strait of Belle Isle, from Forteau Point, Labrador to Shoal Cove, Newfoundland.
- 700 km of overhead HVdc transmission line from Shoal Cove to Soldiers Pond, Newfoundland.
- A converter station at Soldiers Pond to convert the dc power back into ac power for distribution on the island’s electricity grid.
- Grounding systems, at L’Anse au Diable (on the Labrador side of the Strait of Belle Isle) and at Dowden’s Point (in Conception Bay, Newfoundland).
Strait of Belle Isle Marine Cable Crossing
To connect the transmission line from Labrador to Newfoundland, a 35 km marine cable crossing was constructed across the Strait of Belle Isle, from Forteau Point, Labrador to Shoal Cove, Newfoundland.
The marine cable crossing included the installation of three marine power cables along the seabed across the Strait of Belle Isle. Using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology, two drill rigs bore three holes from the shoreline and out under the seabed on both sides of the Straits. Cables were installed through the drilled holes, and placed along the sea floor by a cable installation vessel.
Labrador Transmission Assets (LTA)
Two, 250 km High Voltage alternating current (HVac) transmission lines were constructed between the existing hydroelectric facility in Churchill Falls and Muskrat Falls.
Unlike most transmission lines in the province, the Labrador-Island Link will be a High Voltage direct current (HVdc) line, which is more effective for carrying large amounts of power over long distances as well as underwater. It will be converted to High Voltage alternating current (HVac) at the converter station in Soldiers Pond before being added to the provincial grid as power for homes and businesses.
