Quanta Services, Inc. announced that ATCO Electric, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has selected Valard Construction, a Quanta Services company, to install transmission infrastructure for the Eastern Alberta Transmission Line (EATL) project. Under the terms of the contract, Valard will install approximately 310 mi (500 km) of 500-kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line between the Edmonton and Calgary regions.
"Increasing demand for electricity in southern and central Alberta is expected to exceed the capacity of the 240-kV transmission system currently delivering power to the area," said Jim O'Neil, president and chief executive officer of Quanta Services. "The Eastern Alberta Transmission Line is a critical transmission infrastructure project designed to improve grid reliability now and in the future. We believe we are well positioned to safely execute this important project."
Valard has already initiated preconstruction activities on the project and construction activities are expected to begin immediately. Valard is responsible for all construction aspects of the project including foundation construction, tower assembly and erection, and conductor stringing. The EATL transmission line is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.
"We are proud to have been chosen by ATCO Electric for this critical project. Although Alberta has been growing rapidly for many years, there have been no major reinforcements to the north-south transmission infrastructure in the province for 20 years," said Adam Budzinski, president of Valard Construction. "Valard brings extensive experience, resources and a history of safe execution to the EATL project which, once in service, will be one of the first DC transmission lines in Alberta."
