Summary

• $90-million investment to expand the Mount Pleasant Substation and support growing electricity demand in Vancouver
• New third transformer arriving in the coming weeks will increase capacity to serve up to 50,000 additional customers
• Supports new housing, businesses, transportation infrastructure and electrification along the Broadway corridor and surrounding communities
• Part of BC Hydro’s broader investment in Vancouver, including upgrades at the Mainwaring Substation and new substation investments in the West End and East Vancouver

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People and businesses along Vancouver’s busy Broadway corridor are set to benefit from greater reliability and capacity as BC Hydro’s expansion of the Mount Pleasant Substation moves ahead.

The project will increase the substation’s capacity, a key pillar of BC Hydro’s Powering Growth, Fueling Opportunity strategy, which focuses on conserving energy, optimizing existing infrastructure and building for the future.

“As one of Vancouver’s fastest-growing areas, the Broadway corridor needs an electricity system that can keep pace with new housing, businesses and transportation infrastructure,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “This $90-million investment will increase capacity for an additional 50,000 customers, strengthen reliability and ensure the community has the clean, dependable electricity needed to support growth for decades to come.”

BC Hydro’s investment includes installing a third transformer and other supporting electrical equipment. The new transformer is expected to arrive in early September, marking a major milestone for the project.

Supporting growth, housing and electrification

Mount Pleasant Substation is a crucial part of Vancouver’s electricity system, helping deliver power to homes, businesses and institutions throughout the city. The new transformer will be installed in an empty bay that was built for future use. The project will also include additional electrical infrastructure upgrades designed to support long-term reliability and future growth.

“This upgrade is about preparing Vancouver for the future,” said Christine Boyle, MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain. “As more people choose to live and work along the Broadway corridor, we need the infrastructure to support new homes, businesses and cleaner technologies. This investment will help ensure Vancouver’s electricity system grows alongside the community it serves.”

Substations serve a critical role in the power grid by converting high-voltage transmission power into lower-voltage electricity that can be safely delivered to homes and businesses. Most construction will occur within the existing substation, minimizing impacts to nearby residents and businesses. The project is expected to be completed in early 2029.

“Mount Pleasant Substation was designed with future growth in mind,” said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO, BC Hydro. “This project allows us to use that planned capacity today by adding a third transformer and increasing the electricity system’s ability to support new homes, businesses, transportation infrastructure and electrification. It’s a smart investment that ensures Vancouver has the reliable power it needs for decades to come.”

Part of BC Hydro’s broader investment in Vancouver

The Mount Pleasant project is part of BC Hydro’s broader investment in Vancouver’s electricity system. As demand for electricity continues to grow, BC Hydro is making significant investments to renew aging infrastructure, strengthen reliability and add capacity across the city.

Other major projects underway include:

• Mainwaring Substation modernization: A major upgrade of a 70-year-old facility that will improve reliability for more than 60,000 homes and businesses.
• West End Substation project: Replacing the aging Dal Grauer Substation to ensure reliable service for approximately 50,000 customers in downtown Vancouver.
• East Vancouver Substation project: Replacing the nearly 80-year-old Murrin Substation with a modern facility designed to support future housing growth, business development and electrification.

Together, these investments will help ensure Vancouver residents and businesses continue to have access to reliable, affordable and clean electricity while supporting housing, transportation, economic development and the transition to a cleaner economy.

Quotes:

Ken Sim, mayor of Vancouver –

“Vancouver is growing, and the infrastructure that powers our city needs to grow with it. As we continue to build more homes and create new opportunities for businesses, we need to make sure the critical systems our residents and communities rely on are keeping pace. This $90-million investment in the Mount Pleasant Substation will strengthen the reliability and capacity of our electricity network, while supporting new housing and economic growth along the Broadway Corridor.”

Annette Toth, president, MoveUP –

“This investment in the Mount Pleasant substation is an important investment in British Columbia’s growing electricity needs, but it is also an investment in the workers who make our public electricity system possible. MoveUP is proud to see continued investment in a clean, reliable and publicly owned electricity system, and we will continue working with the government and BC Hydro to ensure these investments strengthen public power, create good union jobs and deliver reliable, affordable electricity for British Columbians.”

Learn More:

• For more information about the Mount Pleasant Substation upgrade project, visit: bchydro.com/MTP.
• To learn more about how B.C. is powering growth, visit: https://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/BCHydro/customer-portal/documents/corporate/regulatory-planning-documents/powering-growth/powering-growth-plan.pdf