Ontario Construction News staff writer
AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. has been selected by Hydro One Networks Inc. as owner’s engineer for a multi-year expansion of the Bowmanville Switching Station, a project tied to Ontario Power Generation’s plan to build Small Modular Reactors at the Darlington nuclear site.
The work involves adding a new 500-kilovolt switchyard and expanding the existing substation footprint by roughly 30 to 40 acres. Hydro One says the additional capacity is needed to manage future electricity flows from the planned SMRs and to ease transmission congestion in the region.
The station sits across from the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and serves as a major connection point for power moving into the eastern Greater Toronto Area.
The province’s electricity system is expected to see rising demand in the coming years due to population growth, industrial projects and transportation electrification. Transit initiatives such as GO rail electrification and the Ontario Line alone are projected to add about 100 megawatts of new load in the Toronto area.
AtkinsRéalis will provide engineering, project management and program management services for the substation expansion. The scope includes breakers, disconnect switches, associated equipment and a new multi-purpose control building.
Hydro One continues to advance several transmission upgrades across Ontario to support the province’s long-term energy plan and accommodate new generation projects, including the Darlington SMRs.
AtkinsRéalis is involved in several other major power infrastructure projects in Canada and the U.S., including engineering work for the Champlain Hudson Power Express line from Quebec to New York City and the Projet Mauricie hydrogen hub in Quebec.