As wildfires continue to rage north of Baie-Comeau, Hydro-Québec is taking the opportunity to clear some of its priority assets.
• Also read: Four forest fires are raging about a hundred kilometers from Baie-Comeau: a situation that worries SOPFEU
Four brush cutters are deployed around the Manicouagan substation and up to ten people take turns operating them from dawn to dusk each day. About ten days are needed to draw a buffer zone of 150 meters between the plants and the forest.
Clearance operations are typically carried out under power lines by Hydro-Québec teams. Doing the same type of work but close to the facilities was a different story. Various methods such as felling or pickling were analyzed. However, due to the efficiency and speed, work with brush cutters was chosen.
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The Manicouagan substation will likely be the last to be vacated after the Micoua and Outardes substations. Preventive logging work was also carried out around the administrative center of Sept-Îles.
SOPFEU and Hydro-Québec work together and share both equipment and personnel. In addition, the deforestation plan was approved by SOPFEU prior to its implementation. The wood chips left on the floor help retain moisture.
With these preventative deforestations, Hydro-Québec is ensuring that electricity can continue to be transported through Quebec despite the still-raging wildfires in the north of the region.