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Project information

Coral Rapids Power logoOntario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) and its partner Coral Rapids Power LP (CRP) (a wholly owned company of Taykwa Tagamou Nation) are proposing to develop approximately 25 megawatts of renewable hydroelectric power through the construction of a generating station on New Post Creek near its outlet to the Abitibi River (Proposed Undertaking or Project).

The Proposed Undertaking is located about 100 kilometer (km) north of the Town of Smooth Rock Falls and 13 km northeast of OPG's Abitibi Canyon Generating Station.

Under the provincial Environmental Assessment Act, the Proposed Undertaking is subject to the Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for Waterpower Projects.

A map showing the location of the New Post Creek development project, on New Post Creek near its outlet on the Abitibi River.

CRP/OPG is committed to consulting with the respective First Nations, government agencies, the public and other interested stakeholders about the Proposed Undertaking. Input and comments will be considered and included in the preparation of the Environmental Report.

The proposed generating station will include a dam with a water intake and penstock, powerhouse and tailrace channel. Associated activities include improvements to existing access roads, establishment of a construction site and installation of an approximately 7 km long transmission line that would connect to an existing transmission line on the west side of the Abitibi River.

The proposed New Post Creek Project is subject to the coordinated provincial and federal environmental assessment (EA) process. Under the provincial Environmental Assessment Act, the proposed Project is subject to the Class EA for Waterpower Projects. Under the federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the proposed Project is subject to a Screening EA. The coordinated EA process ensures that the requirements of both levels of government are fully addressed in a single process and body of EA documentation. The Class EA planning process requires CRP and OPG to evaluate the positive and negative environmental effects of the Proposed Undertaking and prepare an Environmental Report on both the construction and operation phases of the Project.

To carry out the Proposed Undertaking, the deregulation of a small portion of Little Abitibi Provincial Park is necessary to align with requirements of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006. Replacement lands adjacent to the park boundary have been identified resulting in a larger park and enhanced ecological integrity. TTN and OPG were involved in the process to determine these replacement lands. The Class EA for Waterpower Projects process will be coordinated with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' Crown land use amendment and Class EA processes to amend of the park boundary for the Proposed Undertaking.

The Proposed Undertaking is also expected to require changes to the Abitibi River System Water Management Plan (WMP), which will be pursued in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' planning requirements. The Proposed Undertaking will be screened under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Over the next year, CRP and OPG will use the Class EA process as a basis for coordinating all future consultation required for the planning stage of the Proposed Undertaking. If the Project proceeds as per the schedule, construction could begin in 2014.

Project documents

To request accessible versions of any documents, please contact us.

Below are a series of final documents associated with the Environmental Assessment Notice of Completion. If you have any questions about the reports, please contact us.

To encourage public participation, CRP and OPG scheduled two rounds of Open Houses to introduce the Project. The first round of open houses was held in November 2011 and the second round of open houses was held in December 2012.

NOTE: MNR and Ontario Parks will be hosting information sessions on their related proposed amendments concerning the Little Abitibi Provincial Park (amendments to park management direction, park boundary and Crown Land Use Policy Atlas), at the same time and location noted in this Notice to allow consultation on both processes.

Frequently asked questions

In April 2006, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) and the Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) to jointly explore hydroelectric development opportunities within the Abitibi River drainage basin, north of Highway 11. As a result of this initiative, a potential waterpower generation location was identified on New Post Creek, a tributary of the Abitibi River.

The New Post Creek Hydroelectric Project, proposed by OPG with its partner Coral Rapids Power (CRP), a corporation wholly owned by the TTN, would take advantage of a portion of this diverted flow descending 60 metres (m) between New Post Creek and the Abitibi River, all within TTN Traditional Territory, to generate approximately 25 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

In 1963, Ontario Hydro constructed the New Post Creek Diversion Dam on the Little Abitibi River in order to supply additional generating capacity at its Otter Rapids Generating Station (GS). The Otter Rapids GS is owned and operated by OPG under the authority of a Water Power Lease. The dam allows significant flows to be diverted along the constructed New Post Creek Diversion Channel and New Post Creek to the Abitibi River upstream of Otter Rapids GS.

To carry out the Proposed Undertaking, the deregulation of a small portion of Little Abitibi Provincial Park is necessary to align with requirements of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006. Replacement lands adjacent to the park boundary have been identified resulting in a larger park and enhanced ecological integrity. TTN and OPG were involved in the process to determine these replacement lands. The Class EA for Waterpower Projects process will be coordinated with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources' Crown land use amendment and Class EA processes to amend of the park boundary for the Proposed Undertaking.

DISCLAIMER: Please note this website was only actively maintained during the related EA process period. As this process may have closed several years ago, the content of this site may not accurately reflect the current date and may include language with incorrect time references.