When the helicopter is taking the power line across the highway, traffic comes to a complete stop. That from SaskPower spokesman Joel Cherry as SaskPower strings line across the Trans-Canada Highway just east of Rush Lake today.

Cherry says this is a 260 million dollar project that is going to help connect the Chinook Power Plant north of Swift Current to the grid which is going to be very important as the province moves toward more renewable energy supplies on the network. The natural gas plant near Swift Current will provide the base load power and that means when the wind is not blowing – wind turbines – or when the sun isn’t shining – solar power – the base power is still there to support the renewable energy supply.

He points out the process involving the helicopter is distracting for motorists and its important when lines are going across the road, there isn’t traffic going underneath it. In the future, more work with the helicopter will take place near Chaplin on Highway 1 and more work near Moose Jaw, as well.

They have previously also done this kind of work near Herbert, just north of Swift Current on Highway 4, and near Moose Jaw earlier this month. The Rush Lake portion of the project, using a helicopter, should be complete today.