Hydro One has completed the draft Environmental Study Report (ESR) for the St. Clair Transmission Line project and is now seeking public feedback on the report.
Hydro One's Vice President of Strategic Project and Partnerships Sonny Karunakaran was in Chatham on Monday to make the announcement.
The St. Clair Transmission Line is a proposed new double-circuit 230 kilovolt transmission line between the Lambton Transformer Station in St. Clair Township and the Chatham Switching Station in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Hydro One said it found the preferred route (Route 2) is the option that had the least effect on the values of importance to Indigenous communities as well as to the natural environment, agricultural lands, and operations.
The expansion of the Lambton Transformer Station and the Chatham Switching Station is also proposed, as well as an upgrade to the Wallaceburg Transformer Station, which will increase the transmission reliability and resiliency for the Wallaceburg area, according to Hydro One.
“Local community participation is integral to infrastructure development, and we will integrate feedback directly into the design, development, construction, operations and maintenance of this project as Hydro One continues to invest in Southwest Ontario, to ensure energy is available when and where it is needed,” said Karunakaran. “We will continue to work closely with Indigenous communities who have been providing meaningful early inputs, residents, directly impacted property owners and businesses at every stage of this critical project to ensure local needs are reflected in planning for the new transmission line.”
The report details engagement during the Class Environmental Assessment, the route selection process, identifies potential effects to the natural and socio-economic environments, and measures Hydro One will use to avoid, minimize or restore any negative effects of the project.
“Our community is growing, and having the energy infrastructure to support that growth is a key factor. Ensuring access to clean and reliable electricity is important to enabling growth, not only in Chatham-Kent, but across the entirety of southwestern Ontario," said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. "As our energy demands increase, we're looking forward to realizing the economic benefits that this line and the new network will bring to Chatham-Kent once they are built."
Hydro One said the St. Clair Transmission Line is expected to use 80 per cent of an existing Hydro One corridor, reducing its environmental footprint.
“We continue to work closely with Hydro One and our members, offering feedback on this critical transmission project to our sector and our region,” said Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) Zone Director Louis Roesch. “This new transmission line will help our local food supply and bring more food security for our community, and we want to ensure it benefits generations of farmers for years to come.”
Hydro One encourages interested parties to submit feedback on the draft ESR report from now until December 7, 2023.
Click here to read the draft report and share comments.