Hydro One selects Option 2A route for Windsor-Lakeshore power line
Hydro One has revealed the preferred route for a major new transmission line between Lakeshore and Windsor.
The route, known as Option 2A, was selected after feedback from engagement sessions and technical studies. Hydro One says it crosses the least number of properties, 60 in total, with the majority being farm properties along with a cluster of residential properties.
"It reutilizes an existing transmission corridor for around one-third of the distance," said Sonny Karunakaran, vice president of strategic projects and partnerships at Hydro One. "As far as the natural environment features are concerned, it scored best across areas of water bodies and woodlots, which would be crossed in the area as well."
Hydro One says some land acquisition will be required through easements or property purchases, but no primary residences are expected to be directly affected by the transmission line right-of-way.
The proposed Windsor Lakeshore Power Line project would link the Lakeshore Transformer Station in Lakeshore and the Lauzon Transformer Station in Windsor. The Independent Electricity System Operator is recommending construction of a new double-circuit 230 kilovolt transmission line, with work beginning in 2028 to have it in-service by 2032.
The project is intended to provide just over 500 megawatts of power, approximately enough to power a city the size of London. Karunakaran said the IESO is predicting a 73 per cent increase in electrical demand by the year 2050.
An exact price tag for the project is not expected to be released until sometime in the middle of 2027.
