Hydro One celebrates groundbreaking on Chatham-Lakeshore Transmission Line

$268M transmission line breaks ground Work has begun on a transmission line between Chatham and Lakeshore, but not everyone is excited about its location. Bob Bellacicco reports.

Hydro One marked the start of construction on the Chatham to Lakeshore Transmission Line project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.

Once built, Hydro One says the $268 million investment will unlock the potential future growth in the region and help meet growing forecasted electricity demands.

"The Chatham to Lakeshore Transmission Line is paving the way for Ontario's clean energy future and will support economic growth and local food suppliers in southwest Ontario," said David Lebeter, president and CEO of Hydro One.

Lebeter and Minister of Energy Todd Smith were joined by Indigenous, regional, municipal, community and industry leaders to celebrate the milestone.

The groundbreaking took place at the Chatham Switching Station at 9386 Pinehurst Line in Chatham.

"Farmers rely on electricity to support their way of life, and we're thrilled that we're one step closer to having more clean power with this new project," said Louis Roesch, Zone 1 director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture. "Reliable electricity for farmers and farming businesses are essential in keeping southwest Ontario competitive. We continue to work very closely with Hydro One and offer feedback from our members, which is critical as the project moves ahead."

The line is a new 49-kilometre double-circuit 230 kilovolt transmission line from Chatham Switching Station in Chatham-Kent to the newly-built Lakeshore Switching Station in Lakeshore.

"The Chatham to Lakeshore line is an essential part of the plan for meeting the increasing electricity needs in the southwest," said Lesley Gallinger, president and CEO of Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). "Along with energy efficiency programs and innovative projects to reduce peak demand, it will be instrumental in supporting the ongoing economic growth in the region."

The IESO projects that energy demand in southwest Ontario will quadruple by 2035.

The line will add approximately 400 megawatts of clean electricity to the region, which is enough power to supply a city the size of Windsor.