BC Hydro plans to spend $360 million over the next 10 years to bolster the electricity grid that powers homes and businesses in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore.
The work includes:
- redevelopment of the Barnard substation that services Burquitlam and Central Coquitlam so it can electrify 18,000 to 30,000 new homes by 2029
- improvements to generating facilities at Buntzen Lake to address seismic and reliability risks
- upgrade and relocate the switchyard control building at the Burrard Synchronous Condenser station in Port Moody that ensures voltage stability
As well, the utility will improve transmission capabilities to new residential developments in Burquitlam, Central Coquitlam and Fraser Mills, as well as to TransLink’s new operations and maintenance centre that is under construction on North Road.
Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro, said the work is necessary to keep pace with the area’s growth in housing, business and transportation.
“We are embarking on significant upgrades to our electricity system, including investments in our substations, transmission lines and distribution network to ensure we can continue to provide reliable and clean electricity to our customers,” he said in a news release.
BC Hydro’s upgrades in the Tri-Cities are part of its 10-year capital plan to invest $36 billion to upgrade and build new infrastructure across the province. The projects are forecast to support 10,500 to 12,500 jobs annually.
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