The mayor of St. Thomas said the future Volkswagen battery plant is helping to fast-track much needed power transmission to the region.
“You plug in your television tonight and there’s no hydro there, you’ll notice it pretty quickly,” said Mayor Joe Preston.
Hydro One is proposing to build a massive new transmission line to prepare for a surge in activity in the region, anchored by the new battery plant now under construction.
The proposed new 230-kilovolt double circuit transmission line would help fuel that growth, according to Preston, helping to attract even more industrial investment.
“The amount of power now being used in the industrial regions and the city itself as it grows, new housing reasons, requires that this come forward. The province is on top of it from a generation point of view at Bruce Power and other generating spots. But now those new lines have to come in to move more of that power to concentrated areas like St. Thomas,” said Preston.
The transmission line would stretch 20 kilometres from the hydro corridor in south London near Highway 401 to a new transformer station in St. Thomas. Hydro One is considering three possible routes.
The utility said if the plan goes ahead, construction could begin next year with a completion target of 2027, coinciding with the projected opening of the battery plant.
Public open houses on the proposal are scheduled for Feb. 21 at St. Anne’s Centre, 20 Morrison Dr. in St. Thomas from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., along with Feb. 22 at Belmont Arena and Community Centre, 14020 Belmont Rd. in Belmont from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
