Ontario Construction News staff writer
Workers at the Sir Adam Beck II Generating Station (GS), the largest hydroelectric plant in Ontario, have completed a project to replace a string of 230,000-volt power lines spanning across five transmission towers over the station.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) contracted to Voltage Power, an Aecon company, which supplied about 50 highly skilled workers, from line workers to painters and scaffolders.
Voltage Power’s staff also includes Indigenous employees, which supports OPG’s Reconciliation Action Plan and its commitment to increase economic benefits for Indigenous communities and businesses, as well as Indigenous procurement.
The project started in late September and was completed ahead of schedule and on budget in October.
“We have not done this kind of structural tower repair and painting at Beck II in more than 50 years,” said Gordon Jeung, project site manager at OPG. “The project required significant planning with the contractor to determine the safest approach, especially as much of the work took place at great heights.
“There was a large team at OPG that played an integral role in making this project successful.”
The project included significant planning by OPG and a coordinated effort with Voltage Power to control and protect pedestrian and automobile traffic along the Niagara Parkway.
Newly refurbished towers are now continuing to safely and reliably deliver the clean power generated by the Beck II GS to Ontario’s electricity grid and the 16-unit facility is capable of producing up to 1,600 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1.5 million homes.
The entire Beck generating complex, which includes Sir Adam Beck I and II GS as well as the Sir Adam Beck Pump GS, produces about 12,300 gigawatt-hours of energy each year – about 40% of OPG’s hydroelectric production, or about 9% of Ontario’s energy needs.