Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection
Team:
Regulated company: Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board - Régie de l'hydro-électricité du Manitoba
Operating company: Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board - Régie de l'hydro-électricité du Manitoba
Province(s) / Territory(s):
Discipline(s):
Rationale and scope:
Field inspection of 500 kV IPL from Manitoba to Minnesota (MMTP). Scope may consist of: a) Construction of the MMTP line; b) Inspect portion of the Riel IPL to be used for the new MMTP line; c) Glenboro substation and the IPL.
Compliance tool(s) used:
Facilities:
Facility Types
Life-cycle Phases
Regulatory requirements that apply to this activity:
Regulatory instrument number(s):
Additional Project-specific requirements or conditions:
Observation 1 - General Safety Observations
Date & time of visit: 2020-01-22 19:00
Discipline: Safety Management
Categories:
Facility:
Observations:
General Safety Observations
Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used
Observation 2 - General Observations - Integrity
Date & time of visit: 2020-01-22 09:00
Discipline: Integrity Management
MMTP project originates from Dorsey substation on the West side of Winnipeg, loops around the city near the Riel substation and travels south from Vivian to cross the border. The total span of the IPL is 213 km and the construction is divided into the following two sections:Section 1 – 92 km long that originates from Dorsey station and travels up to Vivian. This section is constructed by the contractor Voltage Power under the Muskeko Joint Venture.There are 231 self support towers.183 towers have been assemble and 63 towers are erected.Some conductor installations are commencedSection 2 – 121 km long and travels from Vivian to the border. This section is constructed by Valard.There are 144 self support towers and 127 guyed towers. 268 towers are assembled and 67 towers are erected.SOme conductor installations are commenced.Observations: The inspection covered key construction activities in section 1 and 2 in two days. They included rider poles, stringing, and implosion for conductor fusions, storage yard, assembly yard, tower integrity check, tower assembly, spacer installation and guy wires.Day 1: The opening meeting covered the inspection purpose for the CER. Voltage Power presented the safety orientations and MH presented the construction progress details.The following observations were carried out in Section 1.
Observation 3 - OPGW Tension Site
Date & time of visit: 2020-01-22 14:15
CER Inspectors noticed that a generator on site used for providing power to a blower heater was not grounded. Also, the heater’s blower duct hoses were entering the equipotential zone. This equipment was not fenced or bonded to the equipotential zone. The Manitoba Hydro Safety Officer indicated that this was not in accordance with their safety practices. According to Voltage Power General Stringing Plan 040693 Rev 4, equipment and material entering or leaving the equipotential must be bonded. As this plan was not followed, this is a non-compliance to condition 3 of Certificate EC-059. This issue was addressed before the inspection was completed.
Compliance tool used: Corrected Non-compliance (CNC)
Regulatory requirement:
Relevant section(s):
Company action required:
The company bonded the equipement to the equipotential zone and installed a fence around it.
Due date: 2020-01-22
Date closed: 2020-01-22 Note: the date closed is the date that the inspector completed their review of the company corrective actions for adequacy and determined that no further actions are required.
Reason closed: Requirement met
Compliance achieved: Yes
Observation 4 - Structure #2 - Pull Job - Dropping of Conductor Sections
Date & time of visit: 2020-01-22 17:00
CER inspectors observed that a cut section of three conductors hanging high above ground on tower 2 were suddenly dropped to the ground by workers who cut the rope that was hanging them onto the tower. CER inspectors observed that there were no cautionary control zones in place to protect workers from entering the danger zone (such as signage and fencing for example) to prevent other workers to enter the area directly below where the cut sections of conductors were dropped. The Manitoba Hydro Safety Officer indicated that this was not in accordance with their safety practices. Voltage Power Safe Job Plan # SPJ245025 (Dead Ending Tensioned Conductor) states in the Barriers / Controls to “not throw items to the ground from the structure”. In addition Voltage Power Safe Job Plan # SPJ400000 (Removing Conductors) states in the Job Steps to “transfer all materials and tools from one level area or level to another using approved material handling techniques or equipment”. These safety practices were not followed and this is a non-compliance to condition 3 of Certificate EC-059. Manitoba Hydro reviewed this issue and discussed the safe procedure for such a situation with its contractor to address and review the Safe Work Procedure of safe handling of material and tools in a controlled manner with all staff at their safety meeting. Records of the meeting minutes were provided. This issue was addressed before the inspection was completed.
Contractor reviewed the non-compliance with their staff at the safety meeting to ensure safe procedures are followed. Company provided the safety meeting minutes.
Due date: 2020-01-28
Date closed: 2020-01-28 Note: the date closed is the date that the inspector completed their review of the company corrective actions for adequacy and determined that no further actions are required.
Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to:
- the condition of an authorization document that requires the implementation of that plan or procedure; or
- the relevant section of the regulations that requires implementation of that plan or procedure including those sections that require implementation of plans or procedures as a part of a Program
