New hydro transmission lines for Windsor battery plant hit snag in Lakeshore

Proposed new hydro transmission powerline infrastructure required for the new Stellantis-LG electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor is currently being reviewed by the Ontario Energy Board, but the Town of Lakeshore has concerns over where that infrastructure is going.

The 4.5 million square foot Stellantis-LG EV battery plant will employ 2,500 people and is expected to create an investment windfall for the region.

But it’s also causing an energy demand crunch and Hydro One is working on a plan to supply the region with ample hydro-electricity.

After years of assessments and community consultations, Hydro One has a preferred solution, a new transmission line from Chatham to Lakeshore that roughly follows the path of Highway 401.

“We know we need power, we need power in Leamington to feed greenhouses and the growth we’ve seen on the agricultural side, and we absolutely need power on the EV battery factory side,” says Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.

The proposed pathway of those powerlines will cut directly through the village of Comber and residents are appealing to the town to get the path re-routed.

“We are trying to be as adamant as we can in that it makes much more sense to take that alternate route, but we need that hydro power also,” says Lakeshroe Mayor, Tom Bain who says there are a handful of small businesses, homes and a planned subdivision in the path.

Dilkens argues pursuing an alternate route could add hundreds of millions of dollars to the multi-billion dollar transmission project — and possibly cause delays which could jeopardize the investment if things don’t move quickly.

Pathway of the proposed powerline. (Source: Hydro One)

“The power needs to be here when that factory opens and it has to run through certain corridors, that’s just a fact of life,” says Dilkens. “I get that there is some opposition to this, but we don’t have time to wait in order to bring this power line and feed the buildings we're constructing here.”

Hydro One would typically go to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and seek leave to construct the transmission lines, which requires the transmitter and the Independent Energy System Operator to table evidence with the OEB to demonstrate that ample demand exists to merit supplying power to the region, a process that could take up to a year.

Recognizing the tight project timeline for the battery plant, the city is lobbying the province’s energy minister, Todd Smith, to deem the need urgent and use his power to issue an order in council, waiving the need for a regulatory hearing and expedite getting shovels in the ground.

Minister Smith responded to CTV Wednesday, saying the province is consulting on ways to ensure the timely development of critical transmission infrastructure in Southwestern Ontario.

“Our government has received feedback on this work through our consultation that closed earlier this month, including the unanimous support of City of Windsor Council,” the statement reads. “We continue to review feedback from the community and look forward to providing future updates.”

“This isn’t just a Windsor-centric thing, this is benefitting the residents of Leamington and in Lakeshore and Tecumseh and everywhere in between,” says Dilkens.

Hydro One also issued a statement Wednesday, saying it’s working collaboratively with communities to build a grid for the future.

“We have heard from customers, communities and business leaders in the southwest region about the need to continue to expand the electricity system to meet the growing demand. Through public consultation, the Government of Ontario has proposed regulation that would see the timely development and construction of critical electricity transmission infrastructure in the region,” Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa says in a statement.

“We look forward to receiving a decision on the public consultation. In all our work, we are committed to engaging with Indigenous communities and residents to ensure feedback is heard and considered as we plan to deliver our projects,” she says.

Meantime, Dilkens remains concerned that the region will have enough hydro supply to feed the growing region by the time the battery plant comes online in 2024.

”We also realize that we can’t lose that battery plant because of a lack of hydro power,” says Bain. “We’ll continue to represent our people and put their concerns on the table and work toward that compromise."