Press Release
July 10, 2007
Downtown Vancouver asked to conserve energy
VANCOUVER – BC Hydro and the British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) are asking customers in the downtown core of Vancouver to conserve electricity while a transformer located at the Cathedral Square substation is repaired or replaced.
There are two transformers in operation at Cathedral Square that provide enough capacity to meet the load requirement and provide redundancy. However, one of the two transformers has failed leaving the second to carry the full electrical load for the service area. While the remaining transformer has the capacity to meet the load requirement, we are asking customers in the downtown core to conserve electricity particularly during peak hours between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Above average temperatures are forecasted for the Lower Mainland in the days ahead. With rising temperatures, BC Hydro is anticipating an increase in demand for electricity which will place greater demand on the remaining transformer at Cathedral Square. As a precaution, BC Hydro and BCTC are asking customers in the downtown core to take conservation measures including reducing their air-conditioning use and to turning off unnecessary lighting. These conservation measures will help decrease the load on our system.
Contact:
| Gillian Robinson Riddell |
| Media Relations |
| Phone: 604 623-4022 |
| gillian.robinson@bchydro.com |
Background
- British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) and BC Hydro are currently working to repair or replace one of two transformers located at the Cathedral Square substation that failed on July 5 th, 2007. The area served by this substation is bordered by Waterfront, Beatty, Robson and Jervis Streets. Currently, all customers in this service area continue to have electricity.
- Right now, the electrical load for the Cathedral Square substation is being carried by the remaining transformer. BCTC and BC Hydro are working to resolve the situation and have taken precautionary measures to reduce the load on the remaining transformer.
- Customers in the service area continue to be served by the alternate transmission circuit. The probability of the remaining transformer failing is remote.
- Periodically, there are random failures at electrical substations. Substations are able to fully operate on one transformer. This is not an unusual situation, and BCTC and BCH continuously – without exception – monitor our substations to ensure reliable power supply.
