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Canada, Montreal - ca/22

Metro - Line 5

The $3.4 million feasibility study for Line 5 extension to Anjou district ordered by AMT to a consortium of Transurb, Canarail, Systra and Groupe Cardinal-Biancamano-Gauthier advocates a 6.2 km route from Saint-Michel to Jarry with five intermediate stations in Pie IX, Viau, Lacordaire, Langelier and Galeries d'Anjou. Cost estimated at $627 million. Time frame for construction of five years. Visit www.amt.qc.ca 19/02.



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Canada, British Columbia - ca/21

Hydropower

A feasibility study has been handed to Coast Mountain Power Corp. for the Forrest Kerr hydroelectric project. Upon completion, the scheme will consist of a 3.2 km-long, 6 x 8 metre water tunnel designed to deliver up to 130 cu m/second of water to three 33.3 megawatt turbine generators and a 188 km-long D.C. light transmission line from the site to Meziadin junction. The total project cost is estimated to be $195 million. 15/02.Coast Mountain Power Corp. has selected the Thyssen Mining / Ostu Stettin JV as the preferred contractor for the tunnelling and underground excavation of the Forrest Kerr hydroelectric project water tunnels and powerhouse. The Forrest Kerr project is located in the Iskut River approximately 100 km north of Stewart in northwest British Columbia. A contract is being negotiated which would see activity commence in January 2005. The period leading up to on site work would entail equipment selection, mobilisation, site preparation and portal construction. Electricity will be generated by three 33.3 MW turbine generators and one 12 MW turbine generator. The water to drive the turbines will be drawn from the Iskut River and directed to the powerhouse through a 6 m-diameter 3.2 km-long water tunnel and returned to the river immediately below the powerhouse. It is anticipated the water tunnel and powerhouse excavation will be completed within 14 months. Visit www.thyssenmining.com 42/04.



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Canada, Montreal - ca/20

Highway

At the request of the Commission de consultation sur l'amélioration de la mobilité entre Montreal et la Rive-Sud, Novaroute has proposed a bi-modal tunnel beneath the St. Lawrence river to reduce congestion on the Champlain Bridge and speed up transportation between Montreal and the South Shore. The tunnel would run from Highway 10 on the South Shore to the Technoparc on the Montreal side and would have two separate levels, the first for public transit and the second for cars and light trucks. Cost estimated at approximately $800 million. The project would take four years. Novaroute is a consortium including Axor, Quebec's leading design and build firm, Sintra, Quebec's leading road construction and civil engineering firm, and Bouygues of France. 09/02.



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Canada, Montreal - ca/19

Oil pipe

Petro-Canada unveiled plans to construct a 1,162 m-long 3.05 m-diameter tunnel under Marien Avenue linking the storage area of its Montreal refinery south of Sherbrooke Street with its facilities in the Port of Montreal. Four petroleum product pipelines will be installed in the tunnel which will replace existing pipelines currently situated beneath 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Quebec-based BFC Foundation has been hired as project contractors to excavate the tunnel at a depth comprised between 11.5 and 27.5 metres, using a hard rock TBM. The tunnel will be lined with concrete to reduce the risk of water infiltration. The cost of the proposed project is estimated at over $27 million. Visit www.petro-canada.ca 07/02.



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Canada, Pingston, British Columbia - ca/18

Hydro

Significant progress reported on the intake facilities and the 4 km-long x 3 m-high x 2.4 m-wide drilled/blasted tunnel started on 18th April, 2001 by Thyssen Mining to connect the intake to the powerhouse, which construction started in October, 2002 for completion by year-end. Geology consisting of very strong foliated fresh rock is garnetiferous, feldspar, micaceous gneiss with bands of white quartzite up to 0.3 m. The foliation controls the stability of the crown. The tunnel is dry to damp with minor water dripping from the crown in some places. Work on the tunnel to continue during winter months. Commissioning and startup scheduled for July 2002. Project represents a $45 million investment. Visit www.thyssenmining.com and www.canhydro.com 45/01.



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Canada, Montreal - ca/17

Metro - Line 2

Line 2 extension to Laval with 3 stations at Cartier, La Concorde and Montmorency on schedule with preliminary drilling to determine the final layout of the tunnels. Preliminary plans and estimates will be ready in December, 2001 and tunnelling expected to begin in March, 2002 for completion in January, 2006. Double-track 3,179 m-long Henri Bourassa-Cartier tunnel to link Montmorency station to run between Maison des Arts and CEGEP Montmorency plus 729 m tunnel to cross Rivière des Prairies under the Marigot sewer to reach Cartier station. Engineering by a jv of SNC-Lavalin, Tecsult and GMAT assisted by consulting engineers Municonsult, Bisson & Associés, Giasson and Farregut. $378.8 million project fully financed by the Quebec Ministry of Transport. Visit www.amt.qc.ca 44/01. Award of a C$24 million contract to Neilson Excavation Inc. for construction of the Cartier section (lot C04), a 1.2 km double-track tunnel, using a roadheader with support with anchoring bolts, shotcrete, and steel arches. Work to start September 2002 for completion in June 2004. Visit www.neilsonex.com. Award of the La Concorde section (lot C05) to EBC Inc. Drill/blast method. Support with 3 m anchoring bolts. Visit www.ebcinc.qc.ca. Section Henri-Bourassa (lot C01) and the Montmorency back station and depot (lot C13) will be tendered this fall.The Laval extension consists of a 4.3 km-long 8 m-wide 6 m-high double-track single tunnel plus nearly 800 m of a 5 m-wide 6 m-high one-track tunnel. Ground composed of limestone sometimes with laminates of shale. Steel arches will be installed at the connection between the cut-and-cover stations and the bored tunnel. Shotcrete recommended in shale areas to stabilise the ground expected to deteriorate under the drying effect. Visit www.amt.qc.ca/grandsprojets/metrolaval/index.asp 36/02.Tenders invited for construction of the Montmorency station and the double-track tunnel at the back of the station (lot C13) as part of the extention to Laval of the Orange Line. Deadline 14th November, 2002. Visit www.amt.qc.ca/corpo/Appro/appels_fiche.asp?fiche=AMT-I2-CO-557 or contact Agence Métropolitaine de Transport, 500 Place d'Armes, 25e étage, Montréal (Québec) H2Y 2W2. E-mail Jean-Franí§ois Demers, jfdemers@amt.qc.ca, tél. +1 5142877716, fax +1 514287708. 45/02.In La Concorde, drill/blast excavation is progressing well, some 30 m below ground. There are two blasts every day prior to increasing to three then four. The advance gained after each blast is 3 to 3.5 m. To date, 100 m have been bored in three weeks. Construction is programmed to be completed in January 2006. To view a video clip of the works in La Concorde, click here (RealPlayer required). 45/02.



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Canada, Toulnustouc - ca/16

Hydro

Bids underway for $100 million drill/blast project in hard rock comprising 8 km x 11 m-wide x 13 m-high intake tunnel, 600,000 cu m open cut powerhouse, and 2.5 km-long tailrace. Visit www.hydroquebec.com 44/01. The exclusive supplier of tunnelling jumbos will be Sandvick Tamrock. The contractor EBC Inc. has purchased three Axera T12 DATA jumbos. The sale also includes the purchase of all spare parts and rock drilling tools as well as a service and maintenance package for the duration of the project. Visit www.sandviktamrock.com, www.sandvik.com and www.ebcinc.qc.ca 02/02.Aecon Group Inc. announced that its Quebec division, Groupe Aecon Ltee, has been awarded a major contract by Hydro-Quebec for the construction of a hydro-electric dam on the Toulnustouc River. The contract is worth $61 million and involves the construction of the dam itself, the south dike and a diversion tunnel. Visit www.aecon.com and www.hydroquebec.com 34/02.



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Canada, Edmonton - ca/15

Light Rail

Planning process well advanced for South LRT from University along 114/113/111 Street corridor to Heritage with five stations. Existing system has 12.3 route km and 10 stations, of which 4.7 km and six stations underground. Current proposal is for surface alignment with transition from underground south of University station. Designers are City of Edmonton with Stantec and Kaleidoscope. Input courtesy Fred Mathering. Visit www.edmontonslrt.com 03/01. Award to the PCL Maxam / Aecon / McNally JV of a C$29.4 million contract for the South Light Rapid Transit (SLRT) extension from University station to Health Sciences station. Two 6 m-diameter tunnels will be driven by TBM excavation through fine, dry sand. Visit www.edmontonslrt.com 01/03.



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Canada, Montreal - ca/14

Light Rail

CDPQ Infra (Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec Infra) has awarded  the  EUR3.31 bn (CAD5 bn) infrastructure engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for REM project at Montreal to the Groupe NouvLR consortium, including SNC Lavalin, Dragados Canada, Groupe Aecon Québec Ltée, Pomerleau, EBC . The final design has to be performed by SNC Lavalin and Aecom Consultants Inc.

CDPQ Infra (Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec Infra) has awarded  the EUR1.8 bn (CAD2.8 bn) contract to the Groupe des Partenaires pour la Mobilite des Montrealais (PMM) consisting of Alstom Transport Canada and SNC-Lavalin O&M  for provision of rolling stock and systems and operation and maintenance (RSSOM) of REM at Montreal.

REM will link downtown Montreal, South Shore, West Island, North Shore and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport. It will include 26 stations and 67 km of double track with 4 branches, running at ground level, underground and overhead. For tender information please click here 06/18.



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Canada, - ca/13

Ontario - Hydro

Ontario - ca/13HydroOntario Power reports that the 10 km-long, 14 m-diameter Sir Adam Beck power station tunnel project to divert water from the Niagara river, shelved following award to Obayashi/Kenaidan jv in 1998, will now go ahead in 2002. The alignment through limestone and shale will require a double gripper hardrock TBM to drive from the power station upgrade to a cofferdam in the centre of the river. The $320 million design/build project bid was prepared by Acres/Bechtel. Harza Engineering is consultant to the contractor, with sub-consultancy services provided by Parsons Brinckerhoff. April 2000. Request for proposals for a feasibility study of the Beck 3 generating project to be issued before the end of March 2003. The study is expected to be completed by fall. The Ontario Power Generation (OPG) will proceed with a 10.5 km-long 12.5 m-diameter tunnel project, an expansion of the existing Sir Adam Beck generating station at Niagara Falls. The Beck 3 project would have a maximum generating capacity of just under 1000 MW. Visit www.energy.gov.on.ca and www.ontariohydroenergy.com. Read E-News Weekly # 47. 07/03.Further to the Ontario government's endorsement of the project, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is about to seek requests for proposal (RFP) in an open, competitive and international bidding to select who will construct the third Niagara Falls tunnel. The successful bidder will be required to construct the tunnel as a turnkey project. The tunnel project will expand the capacity at Sir Adam Beck 1 and 2 hydro generating stations by about 15% by boring a new 10.5 km-long 12.5 m-diameter tunnel under the city of Niagara Falls to divert more water from the Niagara River to the station complex. During construction, approximately 8 million tonnes of material will be moved and 1 million tonnes of concrete will be poured. Construction could begin as early as next year, with completion of the project expected in 2009. When completed, the new tunnel will deliver about 1.6 TWh of electricity every year.To run the Niagara Falls generating stations, water is diverted from the river above the falls and channelled through two tunnels to power stations at Queenston. A treaty with the United States sets a limit on the amount of water each country can divert to its power stations. The two existing tunnels cannot carry all the water Canada is allowed to use. The new third tunnel will allow Canada to use all the water the country is permitted. However, a study undertaken in the wake of August 2003's blackout by Klohn Crippen and Stone & Webster concluded that there is not enough water on the Canadian side of the Niagara river to justify building a third Beck plant. The Niagara third tunnel project is expected to cost an estimated CD600 million. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 47/2002. Visit www.opg.com and read the study at www.energy.gov.on.ca/english/pdf/electricity/040616_Beck3%20Report.pdf 28/04.Call for expressions of interest, deadline 26th August, 2004 for design and construction of the third Niagara Falls tunnel. The objective of the project is to provide at least 500 cu m of water per second to the generating stations. The contractor will be responsible for finalizing a design to meet this objective. It is expected that a single tunnel 10.5 km will be constructed. The internal diameter of the finished tunnel will be at least 12.5 m. Intake and discharge structures will be included in the contract. Geology is sedimentary rock with the bulk of the excavation in shale. A single TBM is most likely. Support system will be designed by the contractor. A conveyor belt system is most likely for the mucking-out. A single design/build contract will be released for bid by year end 2004, to those parties who have been prequalified. Contract award in mid 2005. Construction work to begin in mid 2005. Cost estimates are under review. This information is based on early conceptual work and are subject to change during the design process. Documents available on 21st July, 2004. For further info on the prequalification process, contact Harry Charalambu, tel. +1 9054034210, fax +1 9058552607, e-mail hcharalambu@hatch.ca. Visit www.opg.com/info/ads/OPG_NiagaraAd_Globe.pdf 30/04.The four prequalified companies invited to submit their detailed proposals for the design and construction of a new 10.5 km tunnel to carry water from the Niagara River above the falls to the Adam Beck generating plant located at Queenston Heights are Niagara Tunnel Constructors (Aecon Constructors, Hochtief Construction AG, J.F. Shea Construction Inc., Traylor Bros. Inc.); Niagara Tunnelers (Obayashi Corporation / Kenaidan Contracting); Peter Kiewit Sons Co.; and Strabag. The successful bidder will be required to construct the tunnel as a turn-key project. Construction activities are expected to start in the summer of 2005, with completion of the tunnel expected in 2009. Visit www.opg.com 03/05.Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has awarded a CAD600 million contract to Strabag to design and build a new 10.4 km-long 12.7 m ID tunnel to supply additional water from above Niagara Falls to the Sir Adam Beck 2 generating plant at Queenston Heights. Strabag will be supported by ILF of Austria, Morrison Hershfield of Toronto, Dufferin Construction of Oakville and several other local subcontractors. A 14.4 m-diameter TBM will be used to excavate the tunnel about 140 m below ground level. The TBM will cost between CAD75 million and CAD80 million and will take up to a year to build. Preparation work will start in September. The site construction work force is expected to average about 230 workers, with peaks of up to 350 workers. The tunnel will supply 500 cu m/sec of additional water to the power plant and will enable energy output to increase by an average of about 1.6 Terawatt hours/year. It is expected to be producing new clean electricity for the Ontario market by late 2009. Visit www.opg.com and www.strabag.at 35/05.The largest hard rock TBM in the world (14.4 m in diameter) will be designed and manufactured by Robbins for the Niagara Falls tunnel project. The project is to bore a third tunnel at the famous waterway that flows between the USA and Canada, providing water flow of approximately 500 cu m/sec and ultimately increasing power production by 14% - enough to meet the annual needs of a city of 700,000 people. The 10.4 km tunnel will have a finished diameter of approximately 12.5 m.The Robbins TBM will be an open, hard rock, main beam TBM that utilises the proven Robbins floating gripper design. The TBM will be manufactured with a state-of-the-art ground support system. The cutterhead will be powered with a 4,725 kW variable frequency drive system that can be increased to 5,040 kW. For optimum tunnelling performance, Strabag elected to utilise Robbins 20-inch cutters mounted in a back-loading cutterhead. Alternately, Robbins 19-inch cutters can be used without modification of the cutterhead. The geology is varied consisting of limestone, dolostone, sandstone, shale, and mudstone. The rock strength ranges from 15 to 180 MPa, with most of the rock in the 100 to 180 MPa range. With the exception of the sandstone, the geology is largely non-abrasive. The Robbins TBM will be delivered in 12 months and is scheduled to begin boring in the autumn of 2006. The TBM excavation is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2008. Click here for more. Visit www.robbinstbm.com 43/05.



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