Alectra rejuvenating power cables in Markham to improve reliability

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 14, 2022

Power outages can be nightmares. You can probably count the unforgettable days of a widespread outage that affects thousands of utility customers. Utilities are measured on reliability and an innovative cable rejuvenation process has been adopted to improve utilities’ reliability in Markham.

According to Alectra, the cable rejuvenation process can extend underground cable life by up to 20 years. Instead of digging up and replacing underground cables, a silicone-based injection is used to fill in weak spots, force out moisture and harden cables to prevent further deterioration. The process is much less disruptive than a full replacement.

The innovative process also avoids greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For every kilometre of cable injection, approximately 13 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are avoided.

To date, Alectra has injected more than 820 kilometres of underground cable across its service territories, avoiding over 10,000 tonnes of GHG emissions.

Alectra is making a multi-year investment of over $5 million to repair, protect, and extend underground cable life to meet increased customer demand and growth.

“Delivering safe and reliable electricity to our customers is our top priority” said Mike Matthews, executive vice president of asset strategy and operations at Alectra. “We are committed to investing in new technologies that will not only help prevent power outages but also minimize environmental impacts while offering a lower-cost alternative for our customers.”

Alectra improves reliability for Markham residential and commercial customers across nine main areas in Markham:

Hwy 7 -- Warden -- 14th -- Woodbine
Hwy 7 -- McCowan -- 14th -- Old Kennedy
14th -- Old Kennedy -- Steeles -- Warden
Markham -- Steeles -- McCowan -- 14th
Hwy7 -- Markham -- 9th -- 14th
16th -- Markham -- 9th -- Hwy7
Hwy 7 -- Markham -- 14th -- McCowan
Major Mackenzie -- 9th -- 16th -- Hwy 48
Woodbine and 14th Ave.

Watch the video at AlectraUtilities.com/Improving-Reliability about the grid modernization projects in your community.