Hydro One selected to build transmission line to GTA

Key Takeaways:

• Ontario has directed Hydro One to build a new 500-kV transmission line from Bowmanville to the GTA to address rising electricity demand, with service expected in the early 2030s.
• Nearby First Nations will partner on the project and have the option to invest in a 50 percent equity stake through Hydro One’s First Nation partnership model.
• The project, along with two additional priority upgrades, will support economic growth and future clean energy needs, including power from upcoming small modular reactors.

The Whole Story:

The Ontario government has directed Hydro One Networks Inc. to develop and construct a new priority transmission line between Bowmanville and the Greater Toronto Area to support growing electricity demand, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said Nov. 21.

The proposed double-circuit 500-kilovolt transmission line will run from the Bowmanville Switching Station to one of three terminal stations: Parkway Transformer Station, Claireville Transformer Station, or Cherrywood Transformer Station. Associated station facility expansions or upgrades will be required at terminal stations. The line is expected to be in service in the early-2030s.

The designation is part of a broader transmission expansion strategy. The government has also issued priority designation to two additional projects: reconductoring a portion of Hydro One’s existing 230-kV transmission line from Orangeville Transformer Station to Essa Transformer Station, expected in service in 2027; and a new double-circuit 230-kV transmission line from Lauzon Transformer Station to Lakeshore Transformer Station, expected in service by 2032.

Hydro One will build the Bowmanville-GTA line in partnership with proximate First Nations, who will have the opportunity to invest in a 50 per cent equity stake in the transmission line component through the company’s First Nation 50-50 Equity Partnership Model.

“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 David Lebeter, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hydro One, in a news release. “The province continues to grow and we must act now to meet the needs of the future.”

Kelly LaRocca, Chief of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, said in a statement: “The partnerships we build today are partnerships that will power future generations. Hydro One continues to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and leadership from the start of all their projects, and we look forward to working together again.”

Ontario’s electricity demand is projected to grow significantly over the next 25 years, according to the government’s Integrated Energy Plan. The transmission expansion will support economic growth in southern Ontario, including the rapidly growing agricultural sector and potential future growth in nuclear generation. Once complete, the line is expected to deliver reliable, clean electricity from the first of four small modular reactors, enough to power the equivalent of 300,000 homes, the ministry said.