A new transmission line between Welland and Thorold is needed to meet projected demand for electricity as growth continues in Thorold and south Niagara, a spokesperson for Hydro One says.
The new line is Hydro One’s response to an expected 20 percent increase in demand for electricity by 2032. Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has recommended that the new transmission line come into service no later than 2029.
“Part of the upgrades that we continually look at in conjunction with the Independent Electricity System Operator is around where these regions are growing, and what the power needs and requirements are, and what's the best way to service those needs, said Sonny Karunakaran, Hydro One’s vice-president, strategic projects and partnerships.
The proposed Welland Thorold Power Line is an approximately 18-kilometre, 230-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line that will connect the Crowland Transformer Station in Welland to an existing transmission line in Thorold. Once built, it is expected to add approximately 400 megawatts of capacity to the electricity grid.
The expansion of the Crowland station and the added transmission line “will help increase the power capacity needs as well as the reliability within the region,” Karunakaran said, adding the increased capacity will serve the area for years to come.
“What they do is take information —feedback from load, connection requests, industries, other growth forecasts that are occurring — and then they refresh that on an annualized basis as well,” Karunakaran said. “All of these are catering for the not just short and medium term, but also the longer-term growth that's anticipated within the region.”
But before any work begins on the project, Hydro One is looking for feedback on the plan from the community. With that in mind, an open house will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 4, at 383 Morningstar Ave. in Welland from 2 to 7 p.m. Officials from Hydro One will share details about the project, route details and continue to gather feedback from Indigenous communities, elected officials, property owners, businesses, residents and other interest groups.
That feedback is an important step in any project being proposed by the utility, Karunakaran said.
“We take that feedback very seriously, and we develop that into the actual methodologies that we use to route and site where this transmission line will go,” he said.
Thorold Mayor Terry Ugulini, meanwhile, said the new line will power the continued growth of Thorold into the foreseeable future.
“As the fastest-growing municipality in the Niagara Region, this critical infrastructure supports our economic development program and positions our city as a leader in innovation, resilience and sustainable growth,” he said.
More information about the project and the preferred route selection process can be found at HydroOne.com/WTPL. To provide feedback on the project or to be added to the contact list, community members are encouraged to contact Hydro One at: 1-877-345-6799 or by email to [email protected].
