By Chad Klassen

Newest substation in Kamloops adding power capacity for future residents, businesses

Feb 1, 2019 | 2:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — The city’s newest substation, located at the former KFR Training Centre, has been live since November, providing an additional 100 megawatts to the electrical system, serving mainly the southwest sector that includes Sahali, Dufferin and Aberdeen. 

“To put that in terms of what’s going to happen is about 6,600 customers, both homes and business, will be transferred over to this substation,” says BC Hydro Senior Vice-President Al Leonard. “That’ll provide more capacity at our other substations.”

BC Hydro says the two other substations downtown and in Brock are close to capacity. The company says it understands future growth projected in the Kam Plan, which is predicting 43 per cent expansion in the southwest sector in the next 20 years. 

“When we build a substation like that, we do look at future growth in and around the city and the region, so this will provide a good level of future capacity,” notes Leonard. 

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Mayor Ken Christian says this additional power is needed, not only for the growing number of residents but also for potential businesses,l especially those in the tech sector, that may think about moving to Kamloops. 

“We’ve been having some difficulty in terms of attracting businesses that are high-power users, both here and in the North Thompson,” says Christian. “So this additional infrastucture will help Venture Kamloops as well as the city in terms of business attraction.”

The substation cost BC Hydro $56 million, including the land purchase in 2013 and new fire training centre across the street. Hydro adds if future growth exceeds expectations, there’s capacity to add a third transformer to the property.