Province Delivers Affordable Energy for Families in Niagara

September 16, 2024

Niagara-on-the-Lake – The Ontario government, along with Hydro One, announced the completion of refurbishments at the transformer station of the Sir Adam Beck II Hydroelectric Generating Station in Niagara Falls. This $135 million infrastructure program will extend the life of the existing station by another forty years and ensure a reliable supply of affordable and clean energy that will enable new homes, new investments and new jobs in Niagara and across the province.

“I am pleased to see Hydro One’s investment in Niagara, which will provide increased transmission capacity to support our growing community and local industry,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.

“This upgrade ensures that families and businesses in Niagara have reliable access to clean energy and is an important step in supporting our community’s growth and competitiveness.”

“We face unprecedented energy demand, which is why Ontario must move with speed to generate and store more clean energy for our families and future,” said Hon. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification.

“This completed investment by Hydro One is just another part of our plan that will provide thousands of families in Niagara with affordable and reliable power for years to come as we continue to expand and strengthen our grid to attract new economic opportunities and keep rates low for Ontario families and farmers.”

Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator has forecast that electricity demand will increase by sixty percent by 2050 as a result of new investments, new homes, and electrification. The refurbished transformer station connects more than 1,500 megawatts of clean, hydroelectric generation through its 230 kilovolt transmission circuits. Work at the transformer station of the Sir Adam Beck II Hydroelectric Generating Station began in 2016 and included the replacement of all switchyard equipment, including circuit breakers, high-pressure air system and disconnect switches.

“We celebrate the completion of all upgrades at the transformer station of the Sir Adam Beck II Hydroelectric Generating Station,” said Gary Zalepa, Lord Mayor of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“This significant investment in Niagara’s electricity system will reduce the impacts of power outages in our region and will ensure our residents and businesses can rely on clean, safe electricity. An investment in this infrastructure today will improve reliability and resiliency for years to come.”

The transformer station of the Sir Adam Beck II Hydroelectric Generating Station is home to four of the twenty-six interties Ontario has with its neighbouring jurisdictions. This refurbished transformer station is critical infrastructure that helps to ensure reliability in both Ontario and New York. The province regularly trades electricity with neighbouring jurisdictions, with its clean energy mix serving as a major advantage, as other jurisdictions look to reduce their reliance on dirtier forms of energy like coal. Refurbishing transmission infrastructure like the transformer station of the Sir Adam Beck II Hydroelectric Generating Station is just one part of the government’s plan to meet growing energy demand and reduce emissions by expanding Ontario’s clean, reliable, and affordable energy grid.