$5M substation renovation in Kingston now complete

There’s a new substation generating power for Kingston Hydro. The renovation of Municipal Substation No. 1 is now completed.

Upgrades to the substation began in 2015 and have cost $5 million. It’s located within a heritage building on Queen Street in downtown Kingston that was built in the late 1880s.

The city says this investment is critical to support the needs of “economic development of our vibrant downtown, provide reliable power to our hospitals and underpin urban intensification,” Utilities Kingston CEO Jim Keech said.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“By adding system capacity, we’ll also further climate action through electrification, all while making the system safer for our workers. I’m very proud of the work our employees have done.”

1:35 Cars line up for drive through vaccine clinic in Kingston, Ont.

Access to the substation is coming earlier than expected, as the project was initially intended to be completed by 2023.

Utilities Kingston adds that all of the upgrades were completed by its own journeypersons, which resulted in cost savings. They replaced equipment that had been in use for more than 65 years.