Ontario Power Generation

CHATS FALLS STATION

PLANT GROUP: Ottawa/St. Lawrence Plant Group
DRAINAGE BASIN: Ottawa River
RIVER: Ottawa

NEAREST POPULATION CENTRE: Ottawa (56 KM (35 Miles) Southeast)

IN SERVICE DATE:

UNITS 2-5 - October 1931
UNITS 6-9 - October 1932

BUILT BY: Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario
ASSET TRANSFERRED TO ONTARIO POWER GENERATION: April 1, 1999

NUMBER OF UNITS: 8
CONTROL: Attended

HISTORICAL NOTE:

The Ottawa River has had a colourful history. It was a most important route of travel as early as three centuries ago. It was, for a long time, the main route of trade with the Indians to districts north and west of its own watershed.

The river has seen lumbering developments on a vast scale: important pulp and paper manufacturing establishments were located on the main streams and tributaries during the 1930's. Extensive mining development has taken place in adjacent territory. Important storage developments were built for the benefit of lumbering and for water power particularly on tributary streams.

The rights were obtained to develop power on individual chutes. Some of these rights existed 50 or more years ago. On account of the difficulty in obtaining complete co-operation among various interests involved, development on a comprehensive scale was delayed. Certain properties and development rights were obtained on the Ontario side as early as 1883 and these along with others were expropriated by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission in 1912. The expropriation, along with the purchase or expropriation of other properties and minor rights, placed the Commission in complete control of all Ontario rights of development as far as the interprovincial boundary.

Certain proposals for development of that part of the site lying in the Province of Quebec were under consideration at various times and surveys and reports were made. All development rights on the Quebec side of the boundary had been combined and a development license obtained from the Quebec Government.

Some years ago, the Chats Falls Power Company, later known as the Ottawa Valley Power Company, was formed and proceeded with surveys and plans for a development that would place a powerhouse at Egan Chute with a dam along the Ontario shore, upstream from Fishery Pool. This development would use only half of the flow of the river. An agreement was made in 1928 between this company and the hydroelectric Power Commission for a development of the whole site in one powerhouse. The agreement provided for the organization described later and was followed by the completion of a contract whereby the hydroelectric Power Commission purchased the Ottawa Valley Power Company's share of the power. Surveys and engineering studies proceeded and construction started in the Fall of 1929.

MISCELLANEOUS:

The plant is controlled and owned jointly by Ontario Power Generation (units 2, 3, 4, 5) and Hydro Quebec (units 6, 7, 8, 9).

The former Chats Falls colony, a mini company town, was built in the 1930's to house staff and families at the generating station. The colony, located at Fitzroy Harbour, 45 minutes north of Ottawa, was comprised of 17 single - family houses on 11 ha (28 acres) of land.

Ontario Hydro looked after building and street maintenance, snow and garbage removal, tennis court and recreation areas for children, street lights, municipal taxes, and water and sewage services. By 1977, those costs had become formidable and Ontario Hydro decided to cease placing Chats Falls staff at the colony.

In 1988, rather than sell the undeveloped surplus lands to outside interests, Ontario Hydro upgraded the existing housing and registered the 27 single family lots as a subdivision and the houses went up for sale. The remaining 27 lots which have no wells or sewage system also went on the market.

The Fire - A serious fire caused by an explosion of an oil-filled metal-clad disconnect switch occurred on March 2, 1953. The accident happened at 7:30 am and the fire was still burning seven hours later. The explosion of the switch sprayed oil about the interior of the plant. This burned at terrific temperatures destroying one generator and damaging another to a lesser extent. A section of the roof collapsed adding to the damage. The plant went out completely because of damage to cables. Two of the eight generating units were brought back into operation the following day with an additional four units being brought in the following week. The estimated damage at the time was 2 million dollars.