Hamilton, ON – Alectra Utilities is supporting the completion of a multi-million-dollar investment by Hydro One that will create a more stable and reliable supply of power to customers in the west-end of Hamilton.
The weekend of May 7-9 will see Alectra crews working in concert with Hydro One teams to repair aging infrastructure at its Newton Transformer Station. Hydro One crews will replace up to 30 insulators at the station that are more than 70 years old. Initially scheduled for December, this project was delayed to the spring to minimize disruption to homes and businesses during the repairs.
Due to safety concerns for crews completing the work, large sections of the station must be removed from service. This would require multiple and prolonged outages (8 - 12 hours) impacting roughly 8,500 customers to complete several insulator replacements at risk of failure. With stay-at-home orders in place, and residents relying on dependable power more than ever, additional planning was undertaken to ensure minimal interruption. In order to alleviate service interruptions while crews conduct the necessary work, Hydro One and Alectra are bringing in a Mobile Transformer Unit to keep customers energized. This innovative solution will supply the 8,500 customers who would have otherwise been without power during the critical repair period.
“Customers may experience a momentary interruption the weekend of May 7-9 as crews divert feeders for the required work to proceed,” said Chris Hudson, Senior Vice President, Network Operations at Alectra Utilities. “While there is no ideal timing for major improvements or the outages necessary to complete them– our engineering and operations team has conducted extensive planning to ensure any disruptions are moments instead of hours.”
“To reduce service disruptions and the need for future outages, we are bundling our work as much as possible to enhance power reliability in Hamilton for years to come,” said Andrew Spencer, Vice President, Transmission and Stations, Hydro One. “By upgrading aging infrastructure in the region, we are modernizing the electricity system while building a better and brighter future.”
Alectra’s distribution system and the Hydro One Transformer Station require upgrading so they can serve the increasing demand of the Hamilton community, especially while Hamiltonians are working and studying from home. This project will provide improved reliability and potentially avoid future unplanned loss of supply events that would likely have a much longer repair time.
Alectra Utilities is committed to investing in the electricity grid across all 17 communities it serves to support growth while continuing to provide safe and reliable service. Through this commitment, Alectra has allocated approximately $250 million in 2021 for capital improvements across its entire service territory.
Learn more about our commitment to reliability at alectrautilites.com.
About Alectra’s Family of Companies
Serving more than one million homes and businesses in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area, Alectra Utilities is now the largest municipally-owned electric utility in Canada, based on the total number of customers served. We contribute to the economic growth and vibrancy of the 17 communities we serve by investing in essential energy infrastructure, delivering a safe and reliable supply of electricity, and providing innovative energy solutions.
Our mission is to be an energy ally, helping our customers and the communities we serve to discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s energy future.
Hydro One Limited (TSX: H)
Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with approximately 1.4 million valued customers, approximately $30.3 billion in assets as at December 31, 2020, and annual revenues in 2020 of approximately $7.3 billion.
Our team of approximately 8,700 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2020, Hydro One invested approximately $1.9 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying approximately $1.7 billion of goods and services.
We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives. We are designated as a Sustainable Electricity Company by the Canadian Electricity Association.
Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.'s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com; www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Statements and Information:
This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "attempt," "may," "plan," "will", "can", "believe," "seek," "estimate," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied or forecasted by such forward-looking information, including some of the assumptions used in making such statements, are discussed more fully in Hydro One's filings with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Hydro One does not intend, and it disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information, except as required by law.
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For further information:
Media Contact:
John Friesen, Media Spokesperson
john.friesen@alectrautilities.com | Telephone: 905.741.5578 | 24/7 Media Line: 1.833.MEDIALN
Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868