Another 400 megawatts of power, enough to power the city of Windsor, is on the way in a few years with construction of Chatham to Lakeshore Transmission Line project now underway.
The ceremonial shovels went into the ground June 19 marking the start of the project slated to be completed by the end of 2025.
“It’s a $270 million investment to make sure when the businesses, the citizens and anyone else who wants to relocate in this part of the world . . . they’re going to have the energy they need to fulfill their life dreams,” said Hydro One president and CEO David Lebeter.
He noted the Independent Electric System Operator (IESO) is predicting energy demand in this part of the province is going to go from 500 megawatts to over 2,100 megawatts by 2035.
Noting this is only 12 years from now, Lebeter said, “That’s a fantastic growth.”
He said the growth is being driven by the hard work of those who work and live here to attract the revitalization of the automotive sector whether it is battery manufacturing plants, electric vehicle plants or the necessary support infrastructure that will come along with those investments.
“It’s also the agricultural sector that’s growing and providing safe, secure, healthy food, not just for Ontarians, but for North Americans,” Lebeter.
Ontario’s Energy Minister Todd Smith said Canada has reached a population of 40 million and “a lot of the population growth that we’re seeing is here in Ontario.”
He added Ontario’s population is expected to grow by another two million by the end of the decade.
Smith said as more people move to the province, job creators, especially those in the electrical and EV battery vehicle manufacturing sector are making investments here for the first time in a generation.
“That’s why our government is implementing our plan to power Ontario’s growth.”
He said the province is building new generation and power storage resources as well as undertaking the country’s largest ever procurement of clean energy storage with new projects in Southwestern Ontario and across the province.
The minister said not only will these energy projects deliver reliable electricity that will give existing businesses the confidence to grow, it will help the region attract “game-changing” investment in the future.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said more power is needed.
“If these lines weren’t coming through Chatham-Kent to Southwestern Ontario, we would just be putting up a closed-for-business sign in Southwestern Ontario,” he said.
Canniff cited the significance of this project.
“When we start talking about having our kids and grandkids stay in Southwestern Ontario, it’s because of projects like this.”
Hydro One has a mandate to construct five new transmission lines in Southwestern Ontario in the coming years with four coming through Chatham-Kent. These include the St. Clair transmission line starting at the Lambton Transformer Station and coming to the Chatham Transformer Station. Two new lines are planned from the Longwoods transformer station to Lakeshore, passing through Chatham-Kent.
Lebeter said Ontario is “blessed” to have more than 90 per cent of its energy coming from non-carbon emitting sources, including nuclear, hydro-electric as well as wind and solar.
“It’s one of the cleanest grids in North America.”
Lebeter said today’s world is all about partnerships, which includes Indigenous peoples, municipalities and businesses.
He said Hydro One is thrilled to be partnering with Indigenous people on all new transmission projects valued at more than $100 million, which includes 50-50 equity in the transmission-line component.
He added there also are apprenticeship and employment opportunities with the partnership.
“It’s taking the words reconciliation and putting them in action,” Lebeter said.
Walpole Island First Nation Chief Dan Miskokomon said he is ecstatic to have his community be part of the partnership.
He added Indigenous communities want to be a player in business, which is part of reconciliation.
“Let’s become a big family here and work together and achieve the end result that will give more electricity for everybody.”
Tomo Matesic, president of Entegrus Transmission, said the municipal-owned utility works in partnership with Hydro One to plan for growth and find solutions that benefit the community as a whole.
Noting when the extra power comes online, Entegrus will be ready to take advantage of growth opportunities.
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