A $47-million expansion of the George Tripp substation in Saanich created to meet future needs is nearly finished.
The project was a priority because the capital region’s electricity demand is predicted to grow by about two per cent per year through the next decade.
The expansion started in 2013 and is scheduled to be completed by year’s end. A new step-up transformer and switchgear breaker equipment has been added to the substation, which dates to the 1950s. A new 230-kilovolt underground transmission cable connected to the Horsey substation, on Nanaimo Street, was installed as well.
The combined cost of the George Tripp project and upgrades at Horsey is $95 million, said Greg Reimer, Hydro’s executive vice-president of transmission, distribution and customer service, in a statement.
The two substations serve a total of 100,000 customers. Most of the infrastructure in the region was built decades ago, and required upgrading to ensure reliable service, Reimer said.
Hydro is spending $2 billion on Vancouver Island on improving existing assets and on constructing new infrastructure. These projects are expected to generate 9,300 person-years of employment.
They include the John Hart generating station replacement at Campbell River costing about $1 billion.
