Workers traverse heights to complete hydro line replacement

At the Sir Adam Beck II Generating Station (GS), the largest hydroelectric plant in Ontario, OPG successfully completed a project to replace a string of 230,000-volt power lines spanning across five transmission towers over the station.

The important work was contracted out to Voltage Power, an Aecon company, which supplied about 50 highly skilled workers, from line workers to painters and scaffolders. Voltage Power’s staff also includes Indigenous employees, which supports OPG’s Reconciliation Action Plan and its commitment to increase economic benefits for Indigenous communities and businesses, as well as Indigenous procurement.

While keeping safety as the top priority, workers used boom lifts, cranes, and suspended ladders as they built scaffolding over Beck II’s penstocks, painted the transmission towers, and replaced insulators and power lines that have reached the end of their service life.

The project started in execution in late September and was completed ahead of schedule and on budget in October.

“We have not done this kind of structural tower repair and painting at Beck II in more than 50 years,” said Gordon Jeung, a Project Site Manager at OPG. “The project required significant planning with the contractor to determine the safest approach, especially as much of the work took place at great heights. There was a large team at OPG that played an integral role in making this project successful.”

The project required significant planning by OPG’s Projects Department and support staff, in addition to a coordinated effort with Voltage Power to control and protect pedestrian and automobile traffic along the Niagara Parkway. A safety and rescue plan was also put in place to protect the public, workers, and OPG employees.

When working on top of 130-foot towers, or on gantry towers rising 300 feet above the river, there are no second chances.

Thanks to thorough preparation and planning, every linesperson, painter, and scaffolder demonstrated the highest level of safety awareness to get the job done.

The newly refurbished towers are now continuing to safely and reliably deliver the clean power generated by the Beck II GS to Ontario’s electricity grid. The 16-unit facility is capable of producing up to 1,600 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1.5 million homes.

The entire Beck generating complex, which includes Sir Adam Beck I and II GS as well as the Sir Adam Beck Pump GS, produces about 12,300 gigawatt-hours of energy each year – about 40% of OPG’s hydroelectric production, or about 9% of Ontario’s energy needs.

Project at a glance:

• This fall, workers successfully completed the replacement of a string of 230,000-volt power lines that span across five transmission towers over OPG’s Sir Adam Beck II hydroelectric generating station.
• The high-voltage line replacement project, which is necessary to replace end-of-life equipment, is the first of several line replacements planned to be undertaken at Beck II.
• The newly refurbished towers will continue to help deliver clean and reliable power to Ontario’s electricity grid.

Featured image: Workers are seen using a suspended ladder and safety harnesses as they replace insulators that have reached the end of their service life at Sir Adam Beck II Generating Station in Niagara Falls. (OPG)