Ontario Power Generation

AGUASABON STATION

PLANT GROUP: Northwest Plant Group
DRAINAGE BASIN: Lake Superior
RIVER: Aguasabon

NEAREST POPULATION CENTRE: Terrace Bay

IN SERVICE DATE: 1948
BUILT BY: Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario
Asset Transferred to Ontario Power Generation: April 1, 1999

NUMBER OF UNITS: 2
CONTROL: Remote from Thunder Bay

HISTORICAL NOTES:

The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario was called upon to meet the power demands arising from industrial expansion in the area. Preliminary survey work was undertaken in 1945.

At the time, the Commission came under harsh criticism by Fort William and Port Arthur for its decision to build a plant on the Aguasabon River. A resolution was passed by the two utility commissions that the additional power should be developed on the Nipigon rather than on the Aguasabon River.

The decision to build the plant on the Aguasabon River was because of their principal customer, the Long Lac Pulp and Paper Company, which built a new pulp and paper mill (see miscellaneous) and a well-planned modern town at Terrace Bay. The Commission augmented the supply of power.

MISCELLANEOUS:

The New Mill and Townsite - Adjacent to the Main dam is the newest pulp mill of the Long Lac Pulp and Paper Company Limited. Construction of the mill and townsite, estimated to cost $23,000,000 commenced in 1946 and began operation the end of 1948. The newly created Hays Lake provides a ponding base for logs floated down from timber-cutting areas. Logs are brought ashore above the dam and transported by jack ladder to a long conveyor belt which carries them to stock piles near the mill. The mill is capable of handling 2218 m3 (612 cords) of spruce, jackpine and poplar logs per day. Processing of wood into pulp requires 64 351 800 litres (17,000,000 gallons) of Lake Superior water, 27 tonnes (30 tons) of salt cake, 22.7 tonnes (25 tons) of chlorine and enormous quantities of other chemicals daily.

As a result of production at the new mill, 272 tonnes (300 tons) of sulphate pulp is made available each day to serve paper mills in Canada and the United States. The ready supply of hydroelectric power plays and important part in the development of industry, serving power demands for mill operation and providing domestic service for the new community of Terrace Bay.

Visitors to the new Terrace Bay townsite development are immediately impressed by the natural beauty of the area, the excellent planning of the community and the modern design of buildings and facilities. Provision was made for a total of 215 houses to accommodate the initial population of approximately 1,200. Plans also included a 54-room hotel and a permanent 40-bed hospital overlooking Lake Superior. The community is served by a modern waterworks system and fire fighting facilities. The attractive recreation hall was the centre of social entertainment. Excellent hunting and fishing are close at hand with moose, deer, grouse and spruce partridge in plentiful supply. This model company town, known as Terrace Bay, is equipped with the most modern conveniences at the time.

The construction of the major Aguasabon power development together with the erection of the pulp mill and townsite marks another long step forward in the development of Ontario's thriving northland.