More work is underway to supply the region with enough power for years to come.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Courtright this morning for Hydro One’s St. Clair Transmission Line with provincial officials, local dignitaries, and community leaders on hand.
“Southwestern Ontario is thriving, and reliable energy is essential to keep that momentum going,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines in a news release. “The St. Clair Transmission Line will deliver the affordable, clean power our communities and businesses need to grow and stay competitive. This project is a major step forward in our government’s plan to protect Ontario by building a stronger, self-reliant energy system that creates jobs and powers our economy for generations to come.”
The new 64-kilometre, double-circuit 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line will connect the County of Lambton and Municipality of Chatham-Kent, while expanding the existing Chatham Switching Station and Lambton Transformer Station and converting the existing Wallaceburg Transformer Station to 230 kV by 2028.
“This project is great news for our community that will create jobs during construction, support future economic growth, and ensure our region remains well-positioned to attract new investment and opportunities,” said Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault in a news release. “By strengthening the local electricity infrastructure, it will help meet the growing demand for energy and provide the reliable power that families, farmers, and businesses in Lambton–Kent–Middlesex depend on every day.”
“To meet growing energy demands, this transmission line is essential to the success of Ontario’s agriculture sector in southwestern Ontario, where farming and food production are economic cornerstones,” added Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Drew Spoelstra. “As we work to power and feed the future, we look forward to continued collaboration to build an energy system that supports both our infrastructure needs and the long-term preservation of Ontario’s productive farmland.”
The St. Clair Transmission Line project included extensive public and Indigenous consultations. The new line is part of a network of electricity infrastructure projects that will support the regions’ economic growth. Construction is expected to generate roughly 70 new jobs.