Key hydro expansion project for Sudbury, northeast moving forward

Hydro One will host two in-person community open houses in Elliot Lake and Hanmer later this month as it begins the process of building new transmission lines in the region to support growing electricity demands in the province.

The Northeast Power Line project will see the construction of a new 500-kilovolt transmission line spanning about 200 km between the Hanmer (Sudbury) and Mississagi (Blind River) transformer stations. The project will reinforce the transmission system in the region and meet both residential and commercial electrical needs. The project is expected to be complete by 2029.

The new transmission line is one of three planned in the province. The other transmission line runs about 75 km between the Mississagi transmission line in Blind River and the Third Line transmission station in Sault Ste. Marie, while the third runs about 50 km in the Greater Toronto Area and includes transformer stations in Pickering, Oshawa and Peterborough.

Hydro One has said it will offer First Nations communities a 50 per cent equity stake in the transmission line component of the project.

The first community open house takes place in Elliott Lake on March 19 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 561 from 1 to 3 p.m. and then 5 to 8 p.m.

The second open house is scheduled to take place in Hanmer on March 20 at the Centennial Community Centre from 1 to 3 p.m. and then from 5 to 8 p.m.

“Through those open houses, we get an opportunity to engage further with local community members, Indigenous communities and other stakeholders, industry bodies, municipalities and businesses to understand a lot more about the local environment and requirements,” said Sonny Karunakaran, vice president of strategic projects and partnerships at Hydro One.

“We will incorporate the feedback we receive from them into the work we will be doing as we plan and perform the environmental updates for this project.”

Karunakaran said the company will evaluate and identify the routes and land, including easements, acquisition and permits to access such land, along with studies required and the “right solutions” to deliver the project, a process very similar to expanding or building a highway.

Karunakaran said it is too early to provide a cost estimate for the project, although previous media reports have pegged it at $1.5 billion.

“It’s a little early in the lifecycle to be placing cost estimates for this project right now,” he said. “As we continue to define and develop the project, we’ll be coming up with announcements and so forth because part of the work we actually do helps us to design and inform the ways we are going to construct the project, understanding what the local needs and requirements are. We factor those into our methodologies and price those out accordingly.”

The project helps support and strengthen Ontario’s clean energy future.

“There’s industrial growth in terms of the expanding mining sector, a number of industries like the steel industry … that are moving towards electrification of their actual process, moving away from carbon-based fuels as they reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,” he explained. “What we are trying to make sure of here is that the clean energy power network that delivers electricity has the resiliency and capacity and reliability to allow all of the industries to continue to develop and expand.”

Karunakaran encouraged residents and stakeholders to attend the open houses in Elliot Lake and Hanmer.

“It’s an opportunity for them to get out and meet the project team, listen and learn about the project, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to actually provide their feedback to us,” he said. “Their feedback is very important to us to help us develop our plans and make sure we are delivering things with local needs in mind.”

The project already has the support of a local Indigenous community and the City of Greater Sudbury.

“Atikameksheng Anishnawbek is extremely proud to work with our Sister Nations along the North Shore corridor on the two transmission lines that will cross our traditional territories,” said Gimaa Craig Nootchtai, Atikameksheng Anishnawbek in a release issued by Hydro One. “We are also committed to working with Hydro One as our partner in this endeavour and thank the organization for creating a strong relationship with us.”

Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre echoed Nootchtai’s enthusiasm for the project.

“This transmission line represents more than just an improvement in our power infrastructure — it's setting us up for the future,” said Lefebvre. “By bringing additional power to the region, this project becomes a catalyst for job creation, fostering economic vitality and prosperity throughout our community. I’m excited knowing that this line will empower our region with the resources and opportunities needed for sustained growth.”

The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government.

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Laura Stradiotto, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Sudbury Star