By Paul Morden, from www.theobserver.ca The Observer
Bluewater Power has a $1.5-million decision to make.
The utility that delivers electricity to customers in six Sarnia-Lambton municipalities, including Oil Springs and Petrolia, is considers contributing that amount to an upgrading project Hydro One has planned for its Wanstead transmission station, east of Wyoming.
It’s part of short and long-term improvements the province’s electricity distribution utility has been making, or has planned, to reduce power failures in central Lambton County.
“It’s not small dollars,” Bluewater Power president Janice McMichael-Dennis said Monday.
“That’s why it’s our obligation to make sure we’ve done our homework, and understand exactly what that buys for our customers.”
Hydro One delivers electricity to Bluewater Power, which distributes it to customers in Oil Springs, Petrolia and its other member communities.
In recent years, Bluewater Power’s central Lambton customers have experienced numerous outages, including seven between January and May 2014.
“This has been an issue that has been lingering,” McMichael-Dennis said, but added she’s encouraged by improvements Hydro One carried last year, and the work it still plans to do.
“We’re hopeful this is a good outcome for our customers out in the county.”
Hydro One’s longer-term plans include renewing its transmission station in Wanstead, and it has asked Bluewater Power to consider contributing a portion of the cost of upgrading a 115 kV system to 230 kV.
McMichael-Dennis said Bluewater Power, a utility owned by its six member municipalities, is expected to make a decision by this week.
The work on the station and line upgrade isn’t planned until 2018, but McMichael-Dennis said Hydro One officials have agreed to looking into doing it sooner.
McMichael-Dennis said Hydro One has already made some improvements to its equipment feeding the Oil Springs area, and committed to do more this year.
Oil Springs Mayor Ian Veen said he’s happy with what has been done so far, and with what’s planned.
“It took a bit but I think they understand our position, and I’m glad we’re actually moving forward with it.”
Hydro One spokesperson Nancy Shaddick said work set for this year includes repairing and improving equipment, and installing equipment to better detect the location of outages.
“Ultimately, the work we’re performing this year is going to reduce the impact of power outages, both by lowering the number of people that would be impacted, and reducing the length of the outages,” she said.
Hydro One plans to spend $7 million in the next three years on improvements, including replacing and relocating some aging pole lines in the area, she said.
That figure doesn’t include the Wanstead station renewal project.
“We are confident that the improvements we have planned on the distribution feeders for the next couple of years will improve reliability in the short-term,” Shaddick said.
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey said his office worked with residents in the Oil Springs area to circulate a petition that gathered approximately 1,000 signatures calling for an end to frequent outages.
Bailey said Hydro One plans to spend approximately $30 million on improvements at Wanstead. Moving to a 230kV system will cost an additional $5 million, including Bluewater Power’s $1.5-million potential contribution, he said.
“It would be the right way to go,” Bailey said.
As well as improving reliability for existing customers, upgrading the service could help attract new businesses, he said.
“If we want to attract industry out into rural Lambton, like Petrolia and Oil Springs, then they need a guaranteed source of electricity.”
Bailey said that along with the petition, his office sent a letter about the reliability issues to Sandra Pupatello, a former Liberal Windsor MPP who is chairperson of Hydro One.
“I served with Ms Pupatello in the Legislature,” he said. “Now, she was on the other side of the fence, but that’s OK.”
Bailey said Pupatello responded quickly to the concerns.
“Things are moving,” he added.
Bluewater Power has a $1.5-million decision to make.
The utility that delivers electricity to customers in six Sarnia-Lambton municipalities, including Oil Springs and Petrolia, is considers contributing that amount to an upgrading project Hydro One has planned for its Wanstead transmission station, east of Wyoming.
It’s part of short and long-term improvements the province’s electricity distribution utility has been making, or has planned, to reduce power failures in central Lambton County.
“It’s not small dollars,” Bluewater Power president Janice McMichael-Dennis said Monday.
“That’s why it’s our obligation to make sure we’ve done our homework, and understand exactly what that buys for our customers.”
Hydro One delivers electricity to Bluewater Power, which distributes it to customers in Oil Springs, Petrolia and its other member communities.
In recent years, Bluewater Power’s central Lambton customers have experienced numerous outages, including seven between January and May 2014.
“This has been an issue that has been lingering,” McMichael-Dennis said, but added she’s encouraged by improvements Hydro One carried last year, and the work it still plans to do.
“We’re hopeful this is a good outcome for our customers out in the county.”
Hydro One’s longer-term plans include renewing its transmission station in Wanstead, and it has asked Bluewater Power to consider contributing a portion of the cost of upgrading a 115 kV system to 230 kV.
McMichael-Dennis said Bluewater Power, a utility owned by its six member municipalities, is expected to make a decision by this week.
The work on the station and line upgrade isn’t planned until 2018, but McMichael-Dennis said Hydro One officials have agreed to looking into doing it sooner.
McMichael-Dennis said Hydro One has already made some improvements to its equipment feeding the Oil Springs area, and committed to do more this year.
Oil Springs Mayor Ian Veen said he’s happy with what has been done so far, and with what’s planned.
“It took a bit but I think they understand our position, and I’m glad we’re actually moving forward with it.”
Hydro One spokesperson Nancy Shaddick said work set for this year includes repairing and improving equipment, and installing equipment to better detect the location of outages.
“Ultimately, the work we’re performing this year is going to reduce the impact of power outages, both by lowering the number of people that would be impacted, and reducing the length of the outages,” she said.
Hydro One plans to spend $7 million in the next three years on improvements, including replacing and relocating some aging pole lines in the area, she said.
That figure doesn’t include the Wanstead station renewal project.
“We are confident that the improvements we have planned on the distribution feeders for the next couple of years will improve reliability in the short-term,” Shaddick said.
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey said his office worked with residents in the Oil Springs area to circulate a petition that gathered approximately 1,000 signatures calling for an end to frequent outages.
Bailey said Hydro One plans to spend approximately $30 million on improvements at Wanstead. Moving to a 230kV system will cost an additional $5 million, including Bluewater Power’s $1.5-million potential contribution, he said.
“It would be the right way to go,” Bailey said.
As well as improving reliability for existing customers, upgrading the service could help attract new businesses, he said.
“If we want to attract industry out into rural Lambton, like Petrolia and Oil Springs, then they need a guaranteed source of electricity.”
Bailey said that along with the petition, his office sent a letter about the reliability issues to Sandra Pupatello, a former Liberal Windsor MPP who is chairperson of Hydro One.
“I served with Ms Pupatello in the Legislature,” he said. “Now, she was on the other side of the fence, but that’s OK.”
Bailey said Pupatello responded quickly to the concerns.
“Things are moving,” he added.
Posted in: Headlines