Alectra Utilities is bolstering its power grid system in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, by investing around $22.1 million in infrastructure modernization projects in 2023. This investment comes in response to the increasing demand for electricity and the aging state of certain parts of the city’s system. The purpose of these infrastructure upgrades is to ensure reliability by renewing deteriorating infrastructure and minimizing the impact of outages in the community.
Alectra has outlined its plans for the year, which involve significant capital renewal projects that will benefit 30,000 homes and businesses. These projects include allocating $12.2 million to rehabilitate underground cables using a technique called cable injection. The areas that will benefit from this investment include Glen Erin & Aquitane, Millcreek Drive & Erin Mills Parkway, Eglinton Ave West & Miss Road, Miss. Valley & Bloor, Fieldgate and Pontrail Drive, Burnhamthorpe & Miss. Road, Main Feeder cable on Cantay Road, Hemus Square, Dixie Road, and Winding Trail, as well as Sir Johns Homestead. Additionally, $8.5 million will be used to renew aging infrastructure such as poles, switchgear equipment, and transformers in Central South Mississauga. Another $1.4 million will be dedicated to installation of new automated devices to expedite restoration in the same region.
Alectra is actively incorporating innovative technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce expenses. One of these technologies is cable injection, a groundbreaking process that repairs, safeguards, and extends the lifespan of underground cables without the need for excavation. By employing this method, the company can prevent approximately 13 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per kilometer of injected cable. In total, the company has already injected over 820 kilometers of underground cable across its service territories, resulting in the avoidance of more than 10,000 tons of GHG emissions.
