Hydro One starts community drop-in sessions on the development of the battery mfg. facility
by CM Staff
Beginning May 21, 2024 - and every Tuesday and Wednesday after that until August 28 – community members can walk in or schedule an appointment between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. Thomas to meet with the St. Thomas Line's project team.
Map of study area for new proposed St. Thomas Line project (CNW Group/Hydro One Inc.)
ST. THOMAS — On May 17, Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) announced that it will host community drop-in sessions to continue gathering local knowledge and input on the three proposed route options for the future project. Beginning May 21, 2024 – and every Tuesday and Wednesday after that until August 28 – community members can walk in or schedule an appointment between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites St. Thomas to meet with the St. Thomas Line’s project team and provide their feedback or have their questions answered. Over the next several months, the company will continue to seek feedback through one-on-one meetings with property owners and other stakeholders.
“Incorporating community feedback and knowledge into the planning and design of the proposed transmission line is integral to the project,” said Andrew Spencer, Executive Vice President, Capital Portfolio Delivery, Hydro One. “We take our responsibility and stewardship of our natural resources seriously and work to ensure all of our infrastructure projects are built in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner, with local interests in mind.”
The proposed St. Thomas Line is expected to power Ontario’s growing electric vehicle industry and support future economic growth in the City of St. Thomas and surrounding communities. Hydro One has started the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process for the approximately 20 km double-circuit 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line that would extend from the existing transmission corridor north of Highway 401 in the City of London to the new Centennial Transformer Station in St. Thomas. Contingent on necessary approvals and agreements, the project is expected to be in service in 2027.
During the open house sessions in late February, community members shared their feedback and questions about the potential impacts of the project, which ranged from individual property concerns to the impact on farming operations and ensuring the natural environment remains protected. Feedback, including opportunities to reduce project impacts, would be integrated into the design and development of the project, where possible.
Later this year, the company plans to present a preferred route for the new line to the community, along with the rationale for its selection. As part of the EA process, Hydro One will continue to seek feedback about individual property features to determine the preferred route and work to mitigate project impacts.
