The Matabitchuan Generating Station (GS) is located 40 km southeast of Cobalt, Ontario, on the Matabitchuan River and within the Matabitchuan River watershed. The Matabitchuan GS is located within the traditional territory of Matachewan First Nation, Temagami First Nation, Timiskaming First Nation, Wolf Lake First Nation, and Kebaowek First Nation.
Matabitchuan GS is owned and operated by OPG, and the station is currently 114 years old, with much of its original equipment from 1910 still in operation. The station will reach end of life within the next five years according to a condition assessment commissioned by OPG in 2020. To continue to reliably generate clean, renewable energy, the Matabitchuan GS is slated for redevelopment. The redevelopment plan is anticipated to extend the life of the station up to 90 years while utilizing the available river flows more efficiently with more efficient units, allowing for an increase in power generation capacity.
The Matabitchuan GS is a four-unit turbine-generator (T/G) hydroelectric power generating facility. The station has a nameplate capacity of 7.5 megawatts (MW) at a gross hydraulic head of 95 m.
The station is controlled remotely from the Northeast Control Center (NECC) in Timmins and consists of the following structures:
- Powerhouse – has a building footprint of approximately 560 m2 and is located approximately 85 m below the intake.
- Penstock – consists of an older twinned 1.5 m-diameter section at the intake leading into a newer 275 m-long, 2.1 m-diameter section bifurcating back into 18 m-long, 1.5 m-diameter sections. The new penstock sections were replaced in 2012 and welded to the original twinned steel riveted section that extends into the powerhouse.
- Concrete control dam – is 206 m in length, located at the north end of Fourbass Lake, and comprised of four, 4.3 m-wide sluices with gravity wing walls.
- Intake - located approximately 750 m east of the dam and consists of a short intake channel bisected by a bailey bridge leading to the headworks.
- Access road and parking areas.
Project scope
The redevelopment of the Matabitchuan Generating Station is part of OPG's larger investment strategy which includes upgrading and optimizing many of its existing assets. The upgrades are anticipated to increase the station's output capacity from 7.5 MW to approximately 12 MW.
Project work will include:
- Construction of a new powerhouse and superstructure, with a footprint similar to the existing building
- Installation of two new Francis generating units, switchgears, and balance-of-plant electrical and mechanical systems
- Installation of a new powerhouse crane for equipment installation and regular plant maintenance
- Installation of other required equipment including an air cooling system to station transformers, as well as a bubbler system at the headworks dam to mitigate ice build up
Project status
- Project execution began earlier this year
- Powerhouse demolition completed
- Cofferdam installation completed
- Penstock grouting was completed to provide additional stability
- Hydro One connectivity to laydown area completed
- Construction of permanent tailrace wall upcoming
- Supplemental geotechnical investigation ongoing
I’m proud to be part of this team with the aim to redevelop the Matabitchuan GS. Through the project so far, we’ve learned that this station has a storied history in the area, with many local residents invested in the station. We’ve worked with local users and groups to ensure that we can preserve the station’s spirit, while upgrading and optimizing this important hydro asset. I’m pleased to see how the work is progressing.Hamed HasanharatiProject Manager
Public site access/parking
The Matabitchuan GS site is an active construction site, however public access remains available through the site. For those wishing to access area recreational trails, a parking area has been provided, located just before crossing over the Bailey bridge. There is signage on site marking the public parking area.
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