Debate rages over trenching power lines
If Dollard-des- Ormeaux residents have noticed some digging going on in the vicinity of Lake St., it has nothing to do with Hydro-Québec changing its mind about the planned above-ground installation of 315vK power lines along the servitude stretching from Sources to St-Jean Blvds.
“There is confusion about the trenching going on,” Lynette Gilbeau said. “People are congratulating us for getting Hydro- Québec to change its mind. We want to clarify.”
Gilbeau is a member of the grassroots group Build It Underground DDO. The group has been lobbying to have the 315kV power lines trenched (installed underground) for more than two years. HydroQuébec has refused to trench the power lines along the 2.7-kilometre section of the servitude — which runs in a straight line parallel to De Salaberry Blvd. — saying it would be too expensive and that trenched wires have a shorter life span.
“They are trenching wires for a data centre — trenching that has to go under a highway,” Gilbeau said. “But they won’t trench along 2.7 kilometres with no obstacles. That’s pretty galling.”
Dollard-des-Ormeaux councillor Morris Vesley said Dollard council passed a resolution against the above-ground installation three years ago, but that it was already a fait accompli. He said seeing the trenching of the Hypertec wire is “like a slap in the face.”
Hydro-Québec spokesman Jean-Philippe Rousseau said that Hypertec is paying “for everything from A to Z.” He did not know the terms of the contract but said the cost would be “several million dollars.” He also said that the utility would have preferred to install the wire above ground but that there was no servitude and installing above ground for this particular project was “technically impossible.”
Hypertec did not respond to a request for information.
COST EXAGGERATED
A source who works in the data-centre industry but cannot be named because of the sensitive nature of the job said the utility is exaggerating how much Hypertec is paying for the trenching of the wire. The source said normal practice for data centres is that HydroQuébec pays for the installation right up to the property line and then the company pays for the rest.
Vesely questions a business agreeing to pay for the trenching of wires off its property.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Vesely said. “Why would they pay (for the installation of infrastructure) when Hydro-Québec is going to make a profit? Hydro-Québec came to (the Dollard council) and said it would sink the 315kV wires if we paid for it. My question was “are you going to share the profits with us?”
The councillor would like to see Hydro-Québec, Robert-Baldwin MNA Carlos Leitão, Dollard council and members of BIUDDO sitting around the table trying to come up with a better plan for the 315vK project.
“Maybe it could be a hybrid,” Vesely said. “They could install above ground where there aren’t any homes and (trench the wires) where there are homes.”
BIUDDO is holding a public meeting to update citizens on the file, at the Dollard-des- Ormeaux Civic Centre, 12001 De Salaberry Blvd., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. For information, visit www.biuddo.ca.