Archives

Hydro One to improve delivery reliability in Windsor with $13 million investment refurbishing Essex Transformer Station

April 6, 2006 - Hydro One is spending almost $13 million to improve power delivery reliability to Enwin Utilities (serving Windsor) and the automotive industry with a significant refurbishment of its Essex Transformer Station at 2800 Walker Road.

Power is supplied to Windsor on high-voltage lines that feed transformer stations (TSs). Transformers at these stations reduce or "step down" voltage so electricity can leave the station on low-voltage lines owned by Enwin for delivery to end users.

The work includes replacing the four original older transformers with two new larger units. In addition a new switchyard will be constructed to serve city-area electrical load, and high-voltage lines will be reconfigured. Together these improvements will provide additional electrical load capacity to meet expected growth, and higher equipment reliability.

The project is scheduled to start during the summer of 2006 and be completed by December 2007.

"This project is an excellent example of Hydro One's commitment to maximize the capability of its high-voltage transmission system and provide customers with the highest level of electricity delivery reliability," explained Mike Penstone, Director, System Development.

Hydro One is also building a new $12 million transformer station in Belle River to ensure a high level of reliability in that rapidly growing area in Essex County. The station is on the east side of Rourke Road south of the high-voltage transmission and railway corridor.

Over the past five years Hydro One has invested about $4.5 billion in capital projects and maintenance to sustain and upgrade its high-voltage transmission and low-voltage distribution systems throughout the province. It plans to invest an additional $5.5 billion in system maintenance and upgrades over the next five years.

Hydro One delivers electricity safely, reliably and responsibly to homes and businesses across the province of Ontario and owns and operates Ontario's 28,000 kilometre high-voltage transmission network that delivers electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a 125,000 kilometre low-voltage distribution system that serves about 1.3 million end-use customers and smaller municipal utilities in the province. Hydro One is wholly owned by the Ontario Government.

-30-

For more information and to make arrangements for photography, contact Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868. Our Web site is www.HydroOne.com.