Enhancing Transmission Capacity Between Northern and Southern Ontario - The Orangeville to Barrie Reconductoring Project

The Government of Ontario has recently published its Integrated Energy Plan, Energy For Generations: Ontario’s Integrated Plan to Power the Strongest Economy in the G7 (the Plan), which outlines the actions being proposed or taken by the provincial government to meet the challenges of generating and delivering the affordable, secure, reliable and clean energy Ontarians need. The Plan highlights electricity transmission projects that should proceed with early planning and development work to alleviate existing transmission bottlenecks, identified by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in their ongoing regional and bulk planning studies.

Consistent with this plan, and based on recommendations of the IESO, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (ministry) is proposing, subject to fulfillment of applicable consultation obligations, and receiving required approvals, to take action to facilitate reconductoring a portion of the existing E8V/E9V 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that runs approximately 56 kilometers from Orangeville Transformer Station (TS) in Orangeville to Essa TS in Barrie, using advanced conductors. Reconductoring refers to the process of replacing current power lines (or “conductors”) with advanced conductors capable of transmitting more power and thereby increase existing grid capacity. This upgrade will enhance the electricity system’s North-South transfer capacity.

The proposed action, subject to fulfillment of applicable consultation obligations and receiving required approvals, is intended to:

• Ensure that planned upgrades to existing infrastructure are completed on time and cost-effectively to enhance the electricity systems North-South transfer capacity to supply load in Northern Ontario enabling economic development and electrification initiatives.
• Meet increased electricity demand between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Barrie.

Our proposed action for public feedback is as follows:

Prioritizing the Orangeville to Barrie Reconductoring Project

The ministry is proposing to bring forward an Order in Council that would, subject to fulfillment of applicable consultation obligations, including Duty to Consult and receiving required approvals, declare the following transmission project, recommended to be in-service by 2027, to be a priority project under section 96.1 (1) of the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998 (OEBA):

• Reconductor a portion of the existing E8V/E9V 230-kilovolt transmission line that runs approximately 56 kilometers from Orangeville TS in Orangeville to Essa TS in Barrie, using advanced conductors.

Per section 96.1 (2) of the OEBA, this declaration would require the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), the provincial economic regulator of the energy sector, to accept the line reconductoring as needed when assessing whether the project is in the public interest as part of its Leave to Construct review process. This would streamline the OEB’s review process and prevent delays to ensure that the project is brought online on time. The OEB would still be required to consider the interests of electricity consumers with respect to project costs and the reliability and quality of electricity service.

Declaring this reconductoring project to be a priority project would not impact the requirement for the transmitter to obtain all required government approvals, including under the Environmental Assessment Act and obtaining Leave to Construct from the OEB. These approvals include requirements for the transmitter to consult with the public, stakeholders, and potentially impacted Indigenous communities on the proposed project.

Consultation with Indigenous Communities on this Proposal:

The provincial Crown is committed to fulfilling its duty to consult with Indigenous communities in respect of its conduct that may have the potential to adversely impact Aboriginal and treaty rights protected under Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution Act 1982 (section 35 rights). The ministry will provide information about the proposed reconductoring and the above policy actions to potentially impacted Indigenous communities, including information about how they can participate in the consultation process at this early stage of project development.

This would include an opportunity to review and provide comments about this proposal through the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO), as well as targeted consultation opportunities for potentially impacted communities to share their input about the proposed actions and any potential for impacts to section 35 rights directly with ministry staff.

In addition, should the proposal move forward, the province expects to delegate the procedural aspects of Crown consultation to the transmitter in respect of the transmission line, which may be fulfilled through the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks’ (MECP) environmental approvals and other provincial regulatory approvals and/or permits as appropriate.

Timing:

Depending on the outcomes of consultation, including consultation with Indigenous communities, the ministry anticipates bringing this proposal forward for a possible decision later in 2025, to ensure the reconductoring project identified above can meet the IESO‘s recommended completion date.

Environmental Impact:

A reconductoring transmission project is not anticipated to have the same degree of environmental impact as a net-new transmission project would, as work will be limited to an existing transmission line within an established corridor. However, there is a potential for impacts on local environments and ecosystems, (e.g., vegetation management on the existing corridor). This proposed action does not impact the requirement for the transmitter to obtain all required government permits and approvals, including under the Environmental Assessment Act, prior to proceeding with the project’s construction. These approvals include requirements for the transmitter to consult with Indigenous communities, the public, and stakeholders on the proposed project, including its impacts to the environment and any appropriate mitigation measures.

Building transmission infrastructure is essential for maintaining Ontario’s affordable, secure, reliable and clean energy advantage. Success in achieving these objectives could have significant positive impacts on the environment.

Research shows reconductoring existing transmission lines using advanced conductors can double capacity on existing rights-of-way and take substantially less time to complete than the development of net-new transmission projects (e.g., 18 to 36 months), helping to achieve our Provincial affordable, secure, reliable and clean energy goals more efficiently and with less environmental impacts.