Ontario and Hydro One Announce Completion Beck #2 Transformer Station Refurbishments in Niagara Falls
September 25, 2024
The Ontario government along with Hydro One announced the completion of refurbishments at the Beck #2 Transformer 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 southwestern Ontario.
“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 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 the Niagara Region 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 60 per cent by 2050 as a result of new investments, new homes, and electrification. The refurbished station connects more than 1,500 megawatts (MW) of clean, hydroelectric generation through its 230kV transmission circuits. Work at the Beck #2 Transformer station began in 2016 and included the replacement of all switchyard equipment, including circuit breakers, high-pressure air system, and disconnect switches.
“I’m pleased to see Hydro One’s investment in the Niagara Region, which will provide increased transmission capacity to support our growing community and local industry,” said Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries. “This upgrade ensures that families and businesses in Niagara have reliable access to clean energy. It’s a vital step in supporting our community’s growth and competitiveness.”
The Beck #2 Transformer 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 New York and Ontario. 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 Beck #2 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, including:
- Nuclear Energy – Advancing clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear power through pre-development work at Bruce Power on the province’s first large-scale nuclear build in 30 years, four small modular reactors at Darlington and supporting Ontario Power Generation’s plan for refurbishing the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station.
- Hydroelectric Energy – Investing in existing hydroelectric stations, including a $1 billion refurbishment program that the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station in Niagara Falls.
- New Transmission Infrastructure – Designating and prioritizing transmission lines in Southwestern, Northeastern and Eastern Ontario that will power job creators, including EV and EV battery manufacturing and clean steel production.
- Keeping Costs Down – Launching new energy efficiency programs on January 1, 2025, and building on the government’s $342 million expansion of existing energy efficiency programs which are helping families and businesses reduce their electricity usage and save money on their energy bills.
- Additional Competitive Procurements – Launching the largest competitive procurement of clean energy resources in the province’s history in addition to successfully re-contracting existing capacity resources at about a 30 per cent discount.
Quick Facts
- The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) has forecast that by 2050, Ontario’s electricity consumption will rise by 60 per cent.
- Earlier in the year, the government invested $1 billion to refurbish Sir Adam Beck Generating station in Niagara Falls.
- The eight-year refurbishment project will enable forty years of clean and reliable power.
- The Beck #2 Transmission Station is home to four of the 26 interties Ontario has with neighbouring jurisdictions.
