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Electrical Transmission System in South Burnaby

New substation to help meet electricity demand

Burnaby's Big Bend area has emerged as a large, regionally significant industrial location within the Burrard Peninsula.

Long-term access to safe, reliable and fairly priced electricity is critical for our economy and the quality of life we enjoy. To ensure that the electricity needs of our customers continue to be reliably met, BC Hydro needs to build a new substation in the Big Bend area.

Project background

BC Hydro forecasts that demand for electricity in the Big Bend area of Burnaby will increase by 31% over the next 10 years.

At this time, the area receives electricity from Newell Substation, located at Kingsway and Griffiths Avenue. The distribution feeders that carry electricity to the Big Bend area from Newell will reach their capacity in 2014, and there is no space left at Newell to construct a new feeder bank.

Moreover, the capacity of Newell Substation will be reached by about 2016. As a result, a new source of electricity for Big Bend is required in the near future.

A new substation located close within the Big Bend area will ensure a reliable supply of electricity well into the future.

As an additional benefit, transferring the load to the new substation will free up capacity at Newell substation to supply electricity to other growing areas of Burnaby.

What's being done

Part of the new substation will be an open air facility and part will be contained in two enclosed buildings. The open air section will hold two transformers and associated electrical equipment.

The substation protection and control equipment and two new distribution feeder sections will be enclosed in two buildings.

The new substation will connect to the nearby 60 kilovolt transmission system. The step down transformers in the new substation will convert the electricity from 60 kilovolts to 12 kilovolts.

The distribution feeder sections will connect to existing and new distribution feeders that will carry the electricity to customers in the Big Bend area.

Substation location

Siting a substation is challenging. Some of the criteria BC Hydro is using to site the Big Bend substation are:

CriteriaOptimal site
Property must be big enough and the right shapeA square or rectangular lot at least 1.6 hectares in size.
Meets BC Hydro reliability standardsSite must be located above 1:200 year flood level as defined by Ministry of Environment.
Proximity to existing transmission line(s)The closer the site is to the existing transmission lines, the fewer new structures will need to be constructed to connect the transmission system to the substation.
Site stabilityThis is challenging in a location so near a major river. Geotechnical studies will determine if a site is stable or if it can be stabilized cost effectively.
Nearby land uses

The site should also be close to the "load" – the customers using the power.

Communities generally prefer substations to be located in industrial or commercial areas and away from residential areas.

EnvironmentSite where environmental impacts are minimal and can be mitigated.
CostThe cost of the site and of project development must respect BC Hydro's obligation to keep impact on ratepayers low.
 

So far, BC Hydro has evaluated 17 potential properties. Most do not meet these criteria. In particular, it is difficult to find an available site in the area that is large enough and also located above the 1:200 year flood level.

BC Hydro is working with the City of Burnaby on issues surrounding substation siting.

Construction Schedule

ScheduleDate
(subject to change)
Site selectionFall 2011
Site preparationWinter 2011 - Spring 2012
Foundation constructionSpring 2013
Electrical equipment installationWinter 2013/2014
Planned in service dateSecond quarter 2014
 

Big Bend area map

Electrical Transmission System in South Burnaby

Quick Facts header

Cost

The preliminary estimate of the substation cost is approximately $33 million.

Completion

Planned in service date is second quarter 2014.

What's being done

Construction of a new substation that will connect to the existing 60 kilovolt transmission system and provide electricity to industrial, business and residential customers.

Benefits

  • Continued reliable power supply to the Big Bend area.
  • Frees capacity at Newell Substation to supply electricity to other areas of Burnaby.

Cool fact

Demand for electricity in the Big Bend area is forecast to increase by about 31% in the next 10 years.

Contact us

If you'd like to learn more about the project, please contact us by:

Phone: 604 623 4472
Toll free: 1 866 647 3334
Fax: 604 623 3937
Email

Last Modified: Dec 13, 2011

 

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