Hydro One Breaks Ground on Chatham-to-Lakeshore 230 kV Transmission Line and Switching Stations in Southwestern Ontario

To power multi-gigawatt electric vehicle battery manufacturing facilities and massive greenhouse agri-food clusters, Hydro One has commenced civil constructi...

Hydro One Breaks Ground on Chatham-to-Lakeshore 230 kV Transmission Line and Switching Stations in Southwestern Ontario

To power multi-gigawatt electric vehicle battery manufacturing facilities and massive greenhouse agri-food clusters, Hydro One has commenced civil construction on the 49 km Chatham-to-Lakeshore 230 kV double-circuit line and associated 230/115 kV substation bays.

400 MVA Substation Expansion for Industrial Electrification

The Chatham-to-Lakeshore corridor represents a critical pillar of the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) regional grid expansion in Southwestern Ontario. The project introduces two new 230/115 kV 200 MVA power transformers at the Lakeshore Transformer Station, expanding local step-down capability.

The installation incorporates advanced 230 kV sulfur-hexafluoride-insulated breakers, optical ground wire (OPGW) differential protection relaying, and acoustic noise enclosures tailored to proximity with surrounding agricultural communities.

Meeting Exponential Industrial Power Demand by Late 2027

Regional electricity demand in Windsor-Essex is projected to quadruple by 2030, driven by automotive battery gigafactories and indoor automated vertical farming facilities.

Hydro One’s fast-tracked schedule targets energization of the first 230 kV circuit by the third quarter of 2027, establishing high-reliability power corridors backed by modern digital SCADA infrastructure.