West Kamloops: What's happening

Delivering reliable power to a growing area

The project involves building a new open air substation – the West Kamloops Substation – and connecting it to the existing transmission and distribution systems.

Substations are the link between the BC Hydro transmission system and the distribution system.

The transmission system delivers the power from where it is generated to the substations. The electricity voltage is reduced at substations and then shared through distribution lines for business and residential use.

Learn more about how substations work.

The West Kamloops Substation will include:

• Two transformers
• A control building
• Electrical equipment and steel structures to support the transmission and distribution lines
• Three new communications towers – one on site, another in the park, and one at an existing substation about 4 km away – making it possible for the substation to communicate with the rest of the electricity system
• New distribution lines – both overhead and underground
  
• New overhead transmission lines to connect to the existing transmission lines in Kenna Cartwright Park

Substations transform high voltage power to a lower voltage so it can be used in your homes and businesses.