Rebuilding of Two Canadian Hydropower Stations Advances, Supporting Fish Habitat Works Planned for 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has disclosed the latest progress on the rebuilding of the Coniston and Stinson hydropower stations on the Wanapitei River. The supporting fish habitat improvement plan has initially settled on fish habitat cribs, with technical specifications scheduled for completion in fall 2026 and implementation expected in winter 2027 or 2028. The plan is being advanced jointly by OPG and the two First Nations communities of Wahnapitae and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek.

The Coniston and Stinson hydropower stations are located along the Wanapitei River east of Sudbury, Ontario, and have been in operation for approximately 121 years and 101 years, respectively. The two stations are being rebuilt as a combined project, and upon completion will have a total installed capacity of approximately 12 MW, enough to provide electricity equivalent to the needs of about 12,000 households. The work includes demolishing and rebuilding both powerhouse buildings, installing two new turbine-generator units at each station, and upgrading mechanical, electrical and related auxiliary systems.

OPG's latest financial information shows that the combined Coniston and Stinson rebuilding project has an approved budget of CAD 178 million, with overall plans to enter operation in 2027. In 2025, demolition of both original powerhouse buildings was completed, and major concrete work on the Coniston station intake structure has been finished. OPG states that the project is currently progressing within the approved budget and established schedule.

Once implemented, the two hydropower facilities will continue to use the existing water resources and hydraulic infrastructure of the Wanapitei River. In its 2025–2031 business plan, OPG lists Coniston and Stinson as hydropower station rebuilding projects in the execution phase. The related upgrades mainly target generating equipment and civil structures approaching the end of their service life, extending asset life by replacing turbines, generators and powerhouse systems. OPG expects such hydropower rebuilding projects to extend the operating life of the related facilities by approximately 80 to 90 years.

The fish habitat works are part of the environmental supporting components of this hydropower station rebuilding. OPG and First Nations representatives previously inspected the upstream reach of the Stinson station and compared options including spawning ground restoration, artificial reefs, shoreline vegetation restoration and waterbody reconnection, ultimately selecting artificial fish habitat structures as the preferred option. OPG currently maintains weekly communication with the two communities, and on-site land guardians conduct site inspections approximately every two weeks.

According to the regulatory business plan submitted by OPG, the first rebuilt unit at Coniston is scheduled to enter operation around the end of 2026, with the remaining rebuilt units subsequently placed into service, and the entire Coniston-Stinson project still targets completion in 2027.