Manitoba Hydro has hit the halfway mark in its $4.6 million project to upgrade and modernize Brandon’s electrical distribution system.
The two-year project is the western portion of the city is taking the system from 4,000 volts to 12,000 volts to meet increasing customer demands for energy in the area.
“In addition to providing us with more capacity, we need to do this work because the distribution equipment in this area is at the end of life,” said Randy Kingdon, Manitoba Hydro’s manager of distribution construction.
Hydro says the upgrades will also provide more stable power with less voltage fluctuation.
Kingdon says the project will see the installation of 10 manholes and about 1.6 kilometres of underground duct line and cable parallel to Victoria Avenue. Periodic traffic disruptions for local residents may occur as a result of the ongoing work.
A complete replacement of the bike path in the area and re-landscaping are part of the project’s responsibilities.
The modern Fortier substation will replace two aging substations, located on 26th street and the other on 34th Street.
