Shamattawa First Nation New Generating Station Control Building

About the project

The new generating station control building for Manitoba Hydro at Shamattawa First Nation (SFN) involved the construction of a modern, pre-engineered steel building, designed to enhance operational efficiency and accommodate advanced control systems. This project required all new site and civil work, which included constructing durable concrete foundations tailored to support the unique structural needs of the building and related infrastructure.

Key elements of the building included sophisticated ventilation systems to ensure air quality and temperature regulation within the control room environment, a robust fire suppression system designed for rapid response to potential hazards, and state-of-the-art generator and control systems to meet the power generation needs of the First Nation community reliably.

An important component of the Shamattawa First Nation project was the installation of three above-ground fuel storage tanks, each with a 1,500,000-liter capacity, providing ample fuel storage to ensure continuous operation of the generating station. These tanks were equipped with high-quality steel piping, which was meticulously installed for both durability and efficiency. The installation also included elevated catwalk structures for safe and convenient access during maintenance and inspection, as well as integrated control systems to monitor fuel levels, temperature, and safety parameters.

Shamattawa First Nation

Located in northern Manitoba, Shamattawa First Nation is home to 1,425 on reserve and is located on the banks of the Gods River where the Echoing River joins as a right tributary. As a remote, isolated community, it is only connected to the rest of the province by winter and ice roads for part of the year. Winter roads also extend east of the community towards Fort Severn. Local resources were leveraged as much as possible, including local workers for security and maintenance, accommodations, restaurants, supply store and fuel depots.