City makes substation upgrade deal with FortisBC

PENTICTON – The City has come to an agreement with FortisBC to purchase and upgrade the Westminster substation.

The deal is part of the city’s 2011 Electrical Distribution System Plan that outlines required electrical upgrades, including the installation of a 12 kilo-volt transformer at the Westminster Station.

The purchase will cost the city $4,967,000 plus $550,000 commercial allowance. Payments will come from the city’s 2015 utility budget because the payments aren’t due until 2015.

“Upgrades to FortisBC’s Westminster Substation are vital to the long-term sustainability of the City of Penticton’s Electric Utility, so moving forward with our power supply partner is positive news,” Mayor Garry Litke said.

The city will begin ordering materials within the coming weeks.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.