IESO calls for new SW transmission line
Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has directed Hydro One to build a new transmission line in southwestern Ontario.
A new line between Hydro One's Lambton transformer station and its switching station in Chatham would provide electricity to support rapid agricultural growth in the Windsor-Essex and Chatham areas, the IESO has said. It therefore requested that Hydro One build the 230-kilovolt double circuit transmission line. If the request is approved by the Ontario Energy Board, the line would be in service by 2028.
"This transmission line is another step in a multi-faceted planning approach to ensuring electricity is available now and into the future for Ontario's fastest-growing region in terms of electricity demand," said IESO interim president and CEO Terry Young. "Over the last number of years, we have engaged with communities in the region, seeking their input so we can better understand how to develop cost-effective solutions to meet their energy needs."
Electricity demand in Windsor-Essex and the surrounding Chatham areas is growing at a rapid pace. Demand is being driven by strong indoor agricultural growth in vegetable greenhouses, as well as the cannabis industry, and is expected to grow from roughly 500 megawatts (MW) to 2,000 MW in 2035. That is the equivalent of adding a city the size of Ottawa to the grid.
The IESO's studies into the issue concluded that a Hydro One transmission line is the most cost-effective and timely next step to supply the region.
"We are committed to powering the growing economy in southwestern Ontario while we continue to work with local Indigenous communities and the broader community to plan, design and build a grid for the future," said Hydro One president and CEO Mark Poweska. "By working alongside the IESO, Hydro One will energize life for southwestern Ontario and ensure a robust high-voltage electricity grid is there to meet the needs of our customers now and into the future."
Given the rate of growth in the region, IESO and Hydro One have already implemented a number of solutions to address capacity. For example, Hydro One is currently developing the new transmission line between Chatham and Lakeshore, expected to increase the amount of available power in southwestern Ontario by approximately 400 megawatts. The utility has also has recently energized two new transmission stations in Leamington and is currently building two additional transmission stations in the region.
The IESO, for its part, has invested $5.5 million in conservation programs in the region. These programs have helped reduce peak demand by 10 megawatts while enabling businesses in the area to save on their energy bills. It has also invested $2.5 million in several pilot projects that will test new technologies and processes to reduce peak demand and alleviate the region's load growth.
Both organizations say they will continue working with Indigenous communities, municipalities, and associations as this project—and other regional electricity initiatives—move forward.