Midgard was retained by NU-E Corp to act as the Study Consultant for several proposed solar projects located in Alberta, including a 17 MW, 40 MW, 9 MW (Behind the Fence), 140 MW, and 300 MW connection projects. Midgard's role has involved conducting connection studies in collaboration with AESO, including power flow and short-circuit analyses in PSS/E. Power flow analysis was performed for high solar generation during summer peak and light loading scenarios, both pre- and post-project, with sensitivity analysis for summer peak loading. Short-circuit analysis covered pre- and post-project scenarios to assess short-circuit levels in the project's vicinity.Midgard is actively supporting these projects through AESO's new Connection Process "Cluster Assessments," preparing System Access Service Requests, Project Data Update Packages, and reviewing study scopes and project plans. The projects are currently in Stage 2 of the AESO connection process, with Midgard continuing to provide ongoing support as they progress through further stages. Additionally, for the 9 MW BTF solar project, Midgard conducted an anti-islanding screening study to meet AESO's Distributed Energy Resources ("DER") requirements.
Midgard was retained by the IESO to perform a series of investigative tasks on procurement issues to assist the system operator with ongoing issues related to their medium-term procurement program. Work conducted to date has provided in depth research and analysis on a variety of procurement issues as detailed here:
Midgard Consulting Inc. has been commissioned by the Ontario Finance Authority (agency of the province of Ontario, Canada) to complete due diligence reviews of various renewable energy and transmission projects. The purpose of the program is to assess the suitability of equity loan guarantees needed to facilitate equity participation by local Aboriginal communities in renewable generation projects. The financial, business, and technical review and due diligence effort consists of reviewing contractual, financial and development documentation, Aboriginal participation agreements (e.g., partnerships/corporate structuring), energy forecasts and modelling, operating and maintenance forecasts, robustness and reliability of design, construction works, and other commercial conditions. The list of projects evaluated under this program are:
Midgard was retained by YEC to conduct a variety of System Impact Studies ("SIS") for a variety of Independent Power Producer ("IPP") and photovoltaic ("PV") additions to the Yukon electrical grid. SIS are powerflow and short circuit analysis studies of the Yukon electrical grid to evaluate the addition of new energy sources, such as solar panels or generation units. SIS included:
1. Diesel Rental Support – Midgard evaluated the addition of seven (7) 1.8 MW diesel rental units.
2. Haines Junction IPP – Midgard evaluated the addition of a 1 MW AC Solar IPP onto the 25 kV transmission line to Haines Junction.
3. Partridge PV PP – Midgard evaluated the addition of a 2 MW solar PV generator, northeast of the Klondike Highway at the Partridge Farm.
4. Northern Bluebird PV IPP – Midgard evaluated the addition of a 2 MW solar PV generator at kilometer #63 of the Silver Trail Highway.
5. Carcross PV IPP – Midgard evaluated the addition of a 2 MW (with potential expansion to 4 MW) solar PV generator near the community of Carcross, into the ATCO-owned 34.5 kV electrical system.
6. ArcticPharm PV IPP – Midgard evaluated the addition of a 2 MW (with potential expansion to 4 MW) solar PV generator, approximately 20km away from the Laberge Substation (#21) on the Yukon Interconnected Grid.
Midgard was retained by DBS Energy to assist with the following rehabilitation work:
Midgard was engaged by Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro ("NLH") to develop an Integrated Resource Plan ("IRP") for five remote communities in Southern Labrador, characterized by extreme climate conditions. The objective of the study was to assess various renewable and energy storage technologies, along with different interconnection and transmission options. Within this scope, Midgard conducted a comprehensive evaluation to provide NLH with recommendations that address the energy requirements of the remote communities. The recommendations aim to be both economically viable and consider renewable initiatives and funding opportunities in the evaluation process. The IRP is designed to align with the unique challenges posed by extreme climate conditions in Southern Labrador.The scope of work included:
Midgard was retained by the Electric Utility of City of Lethbridge to serve as the Study Consultant for its 8.75 MW Solar project located in Alberta. In this role, Midgard collaborated with AESO on behalf of NU-E Corp to conduct various connection studies for the project. These studies encompassed power flow analysis, voltage stability analysis, and short-circuit analysis.Power flow analysis was conducted for both the Summer Peak (SP) and Winter Peak (WP) scenarios, both pre- and post-Project, to assess the impact of the project's connection on the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (AIES). Voltage stability analysis was specifically performed for the WP post-Project scenario to identify any potential violations of voltage stability criteria. Additionally, short-circuit analysis was carried out for the WP pre-Project scenario, as well as the WP and WP post-Project scenarios, to determine short-circuit levels in the project's vicinity.
Hunter Creek Hydro is a 12 MW run-of-river hydroelectric project close to Hope, BC that started operation in early 2018. Based on previous experience with the team, WindRiver Power integrated Midgard into the project team to handle all aspects related to interconnection with BC Hydro during project development & design through construction and ongoing operational support. This began with an assessment of the cost estimate from the System Impact Study, identify opportunities to reduce cost, identify risks to the schedule and mitigation strategies to maintain and potentially advance the schedule.
Midgard resolved technical and process issues by working with multiple parties to resolve each issue and advance the project schedule including: BC Hydro (five separate departments); Telus; Telus contractors; plant design team; plant construction contractor and equipment vendors.
Midgard activities have focused on forecasting and solving process and interconnection technical issues including:
Midgard was retained by Boralex Inc. to prepare an Ocean Falls Hydro cost of service revenue requirement application for filing with the BC Utilities Commission. The application is underpinned by a comprehensive model of the capital and operating costs associated with the generation and distribution systems comprising Boralex’s Ocean Falls utility, which was jointly developed by Midgard and Boralex.
The cost of service revenue requirement application was filed with the BC Utilities Commission in September 2019 and the associated regulatory proceeding concluded in early 2021.
Prior to the rate application, Midgard was retained by Boralex Inc. to Develop a comprehensive operations and maintenance budget to ensure that the Ocean Falls facility can continue to operate safely and reliably for several more decades.
Solar and wind suppliers of electricity that participate in the Feed-in Tariff (“FIT”) Program must adhere to prescribed minimum domestic content requirements as per their FIT Contract, referred to as the Minimum Required Domestic Content Level (“MRDCL”).
Midgard Consulting Incorporated (“Midgard”) was retained by the Independent Electricity System Operator of Ontario (“IESO”) to audit the MRDCL compliance of a total of 88 operating solar and wind facilities under the FIT Program.
The solar facilitates varied in sizes between 20kW to 10MW and the wind facilities varied between 10MW to 230MW.
Midgard was retained by the Newfoundland and Labrador Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (“NLPUB”) as an expert consultant to perform a review of the NLPUB’s existing Capital Budget Application Guidelines (“Guidelines”). Under its mandate, Midgard performed the following services:
Prince Rupert Terminal (PRT) is a Pembina Pipelines project that will receive propane by rail, provide storage and then marine load onto ocean-going vessels.
This brownfield site had electrical service from a 69 kV transmission line, but the substation was beyond repair. Midgard pulled together and coordinated a team to provide power to PRT via a new substation and express distribution feeder threaded through an industrial complex. Activities included substation layout and location, line routing and design, managing interface issues among the plant design team, geotechnical investigations, station and line contractors, BC Hydro and the City of Prince Rupert. Work products included construction packages, design adjustment memos during construction, BC Hydro commissioning documentation package and schedule, operating orders for Pembina and joint operating order with BC Hydro, Pembina and Prince Rupert.
The facilities comprising the BC Hydro connection have been constructed, commissioned and energized and Pembina Pipelines is exploring options for expansion.
Big Chino Valley is a 2000 MW pumped storage hydro project in Arizona with a system interconnection consisting of three 500 kV transmission lines.
Midgard planned and established a multidisciplinary project-team structure in order to enable smaller dedicated specialist teams focus on their specific areas of expertise to advance this large and complex development while supporting supporting permitting efforts at FERC and Arizona state levels, as well as directing water analysis and helping devise communication strategy and participation in public open houses.
Midgard and the Owner’s project sponsor acted in close coordination to manage the mandates and integration of the multidisciplinary teams into the overall project.
Midgard’s broad knowledge in civil, geotechnical and electrical engineering was combined with project management discipline and a foundation in project finance to establish the effective project structure and plan work in a way that advanced the development in a strategic and fiscally responsible manner.
Midgard was contracted to provide technical advisory and project management services to Lisims Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nisga’a Lisims Government, for a Nisga’a Fibre Project. The Nisga’a Fibre Project was a venture to improve high-speed telecommunications infrastructure in Nisga’a Lands.
Midgard was contracted to deliver a fibre optic network from Terrace, BC to Nisga’a Lands, a distance of over 100 km. Services provided include permitting and right-of-way acquisition, detailed engineering design, installation and telecommunication contractor selection, and material procurement.
Midgard advised the Nisga'a Lisims Government (an aboriginal government with a modern treaty located in British Columbia, Canada), regarding the technical and commercial development of the Anudol hydroelectric project. The project goals included developing both improved local reliability through islanding and black start (i.e., micro-grid equivalent) capability for multiple Nisga'a communities. During the pre-feasibility stage, Midgard studied the Anudol Project as both as an 8.5 MW run-of-river project and as a 12 MW project with potential storage benefit. The analysis included preliminary hydrology and energy estimates, cost estimations, financial analysis, interconnection study, potential black-start, and grid islanding (micro-grid) capability. The development plan identified key policy, financial, technical, and environmental challenges. Midgard also advised the client in negotiations with BC Hydro, the provincial regulated electrical utility, on the means to secure the rights for a hydroelectric energy purchase agreement. In the pre-feasibility study, two alternatives were proposed to interconnect the project with BC Hydro, Interconnection Option 1 assumed a simple tap into existing 25 kV distribution feeder and Interconnection Option 2 assumed a new dedicated 25 kV power line to the Aiyansh substation.
As part of its long term planning program and goal of reducing its dependence on externally supplied electricity (and associated market pricing risks), the City of Penticton contract a survey of potential hydroelectric and thermal resources. The study evaluated eight (8) potential hydroelectric sites and the use of natural gas and biomass to fuel a thermal generation site. The evaluation included an assessment of the technical viability, economic viability, environmental impacts and social impacts of each potential project. Scope of services include:
Midgard evaluated a range of renewable and conventional generating resource additions to serve both grid connected and remote electricity customers across the Northwest Territories ("NWT") and prepared an integrated NWT 20-year Power System Plan. The plan focused on affordability, reliability, reducing environmental impacts, economic development/jobs, NWT energy self-sufficiency, and prioritizing community and aboriginal initiatives. Midgard investigated the following themes to achieve the objectives of the power System Plan:
