Energy Minister Stephen Lecce has directed the Ontario Energy Board to amend Hydro One’s transmission licence to build a priority transmission line between Bowmanville and the Greater Toronto Area.

The proposed project is a new double-circuit 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the Bowmanville Switching Station to either the Parkway Transformer Station (TS), Claireville TS, or Cherrywood TS, including associated station facility expansions or upgrades required at terminal stations. The line is expected to be in service in the early-2030s.

The province has issued priority designation to this line and two other projects to meet growing energy demand.

The first is reconductoring of a portion of Hydro One's existing transmission line from the Orangeville TS to the Essa TS, which is expected to be in service in 2027.

The second is a double-circuit 230-kV transmission line from the Lauzon TS to the Lakeshore TS, including associated station facility expansions or upgrades required at terminal stations. That project is expected to be in service by 2032.

Hydro One will build the GTA-Bowmanville line in partnership with proximate First Nations who will have the opportunity to invest in a 50 percent equity stake in the transmission line component of the project.

"This designation marks another opportunity for Hydro One to invest in Ontario and partner with First Nations and communities to build a strong and secure electricity grid," said Hydro One CEO David Lebeter. "The province continues to grow and we must act now to meet the needs of the future. Hydro One's success is tied to Ontario's success, and we thank the government for their support. We will continue to work collaboratively with partners to develop and build these critical lines."

Ontario’s electricity demand is projected to grow significantly over the next 25 years. Expanding the province's transmission system is therefore critical to ensuring a reliable and adequate supply of electricity for southern Ontario.

The GTA-Bowmanville line expansion will support economic growth in the region, including the rapidly growing agricultural sector and the future potential growth in nuclear generation from the introduction of small modular reactors at the Darlington nuclear site.