# 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.

- **Publish Date:** 2026-09-23
- **Category:** transmission-substations
- **Reading Time:** 4 min
- **Original Source Citation:** [Hydro One Networks & IESO Ontario](https://www.hydroone.com/about/corporate-information/news-and-media/chatham-to-lakeshore-230kv-substations-september-2026)
- **Tags:** Hydro One, IESO, Ontario, 230 kV, Transmission Lines, Substations, Canada
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- **Markdown Source:** https://voltformer.com/news/hydro-one-breaks-ground-chatham-lakeshore-230kv-transmission-line-ontario.md

## 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.

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