2016 Achievements
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What's the context?
We've provided data on our achievements in 2016. If you're looking for additional context on how much overall infrastructure we maintain, check out our infographic.
Our activities to operate, maintain and upgrade electricity distribution equipment help ensure power reliability for our customers. In addition to the work illustrated above, preventative maintenance helps identify and address problems before they occur.
Visual Inspection
We service a total of 5,243 electric poles. Of these, in 2016 we visually inspected 2,913 poles and related equipment, north of Princess Street and east of Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard. Inspection results are assessed and used to help prioritize capital works.
Infrared Detection
Infrared scanning to proactively detect faulting electrical equipment was again performed on the entire 44 kV overhead sub-transmission network, one-third of the 5 kV overhead distribution network, 31 transformer vaults and at all 17 substations.
This preventative program has proven to be an efficient method to address problems before equipment fails and leads to unplanned outages.
A total of 81 defects were identified in 2016. The findings assist with prioritizing operation and maintenance works.
Princess Street Reconstruction
We want to help build better communities. As part of the City of Kingston Downtown Action Plan, beginning in 2010, we partnered with the City to reconstruct Princess Street between Lake Ontario and King Street East. In 2016, as part of phase three of this construction, Utilities Kingston reconstructed overhead and underground utilities from Bagot to Clergy.
- Separation of 650 metres of combined sewers to storm and sanitary, to help further reduce sewer overflows into the environment.
- 950 metres of new watermain.
- Updates to some gas equipment, including changes to metering and regulating equipment, as well as updating some services.
- Streetlighting and traffic signals, including new communications cabling to allow for better signal timing..
- Installation, replacement or upgrades to electrical infrastructure, including:
- 4,700 metres concrete encased ductwork to replace old square tile clay duct, for improved power reliability.
- 5 kV underground cables for improved power reliability.
- Ducts for future growth. This will reduce the need for expensive and disruptive excavation to support new development.
- Streetlighting and traffic signals, including new communications cabling to allow for better signal timing and traffic flow – 170 metres of conduit, 10 new poles.
- Four electrical vaults, eight rebuilt manholes and 12 hand holes for increased service life, worker safety and reliability.
In 2016, our reconstruction efforts focused on overhead and underground utilities from Bagot to Clergy.
Regulation and Legislation
Like all other local distribution companies, Kingston Hydro is required by law to keep up-to-date with code requirements established by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB, the regulator of Ontario’s electricity distribution industry).
Adherence to these requirements helps ensure the safety and reliability of the electricity infrastructure.
Conservation and Demand Management
By helping customers access grants and incentives for conservation investments from provincial
Save on Energy programs, Utilities Kingston actively invests in making local businesses more competitive and local homes more affordable to live in.
Since 2015, Utilities Kingston has achieved 8,303,000 kWh of annual savings, or 24 per cent of its 2015-2020 provincially mandated electricity conservation target.
Learn more about the company's conservation achievements from the Utilities Kingston Annual Report 2016.
High Scores on Performance Targets
In 2016, Kingston Hydro’s 2015 performance received high scores via the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) – the third year the energy regulator has issued a scorecard. The scorecard confirms that Kingston Hydro continues to perform strongly against provincial targets. Download the Kingston Hydro Scorecard, for the year 2015 .
Audits
Audits are conducted by third parties to ensure work being conducted by Utilities Kingston for Kingston Hydro is in accordance with construction and safety standards established through regulation. Each year, mandated external audits are conducted on our compliance with the Ontario Electrical Distribution Safety Regulation 22/04.
The audit report identified two 'Needs Improvement' issues, both related to Records of Inspection. ESA is satisfied with the actions recommended by Kingston Hydro and the Declaration of Compliance submitted by Kingston Hydro Corporation.
Tree Trimming
To reduce outages that can occur from weather events, ensure worker and public health and safety, and to meet regulatory requirements, we trim the trees in the entire distribution area over a three-year period.
Trees are important to the beauty, comfort, health and safety of our community. For example, they play a role in providing quality tap water by slowing storm water and reducing run-off pollution that otherwise ends up in Lake Ontario, Kingston’s source of drinking water.
Utilities Kingston aims to reduce the environmental impact of delivering utility services. When the right tree is planted in the right place, it helps to ensure the safety and reliability of gas, water, wastewater and electricity infrastructure, while protecting the trees themselves. For every municipally-owned tree removed under this program, we fund replacement with two trees.
Rideau Trail Tree Planting
Utilities Kingston supports Council’s objective to double the tree canopy in Kingston. Various native species of shrubs, trees and evergreens are suitable for planting in close proximity to power lines. Planting the right tree in the right place protects public, worker and electrical safety.
To support the Bell Fibre-to-home project, Utilities Kingston (on behalf of Kingston Hydro) is building a new pole line along the east side of the Rideau Trail behind Grosvenor Court.
In order for this work to be completed, it was necessary to remove approximately 55 trees. According to the City of Kingston’s Public Works Forestry group’s supervisor and arborist, 20 of the trees were ash, with the remaining primarily invasive species.
Kingston Hydro is pleased to fund the planting of new trees and shrubs that are native and appropriate for the site. Working with a trained arborist, Utilities Kingston planted 112 native trees and shrubs along the Rideau Trail behind Grosvenor Court. Councillor McLaren, Utilities Kingston staff and a trained arborist met with residents to select the kinds of trees and shrubs suitable for planting near power lines.
Power Outages
Providing reliable electricity services to customers is important to us. When the power goes out unexpectedly, we work to restore power as safely and efficiently as possible.
Causes of Unplanned Power Outages
There were 50 forced (emergency) outages in 2016 - the lowest amount over the past 10 years. Sixty-five per cent of the outages were due to defective equipment, which has been the leading cause of forced outages for eight of the last ten years. This highlights the continued importance of our investments in capital upgrades.
Defective equipment accounted for over 13,000 customer hours of interruption. Of the defective equipment events, the John Counter Boulevard pole line collapse in June 2016 accounted for one quarter, while another quarter was due to cable faults. Analysis of these asset failures assists us in developing maintenance and capital asset renewal programs.
To ensure the safety of Utilities Kingston crews working on hydro distribution assets, sometimes customer outages are scheduled to de-energize that portion of the system. While quite often work on the system can be safely performed while energized, in 2016, work protection was the second leading cause of total customer hours of interruption (TCHI).
The number one cause of TCHI was loss of supply from two separate incidents. Kingston Hydro receives electricity for distribution through two main transformer stations (TS) operated by Hydro One: Frontenac TS (located on Division Street at John Counter Boulevard) and Gardiners TS (located on Gardeners Road).
The John Counter Boulevard Pole Line Collapse
In 2016, Utilities Kingston released the report provided by industry experts UTS Consultants regarding the hydro poles collapse on John Counter Boulevard June 17. The report identified at least seven separate factors that created a unique circumstance and contributed to the event.
This was an isolated incident, driven by a number of unrelated factors. We are very confident in our ongoing investments to ensure the safety and reliability of the local electricity distribution system.
Data collection and calculations by UTS indicate the following factors contributed:
- An electric service wire to a commercial customer was hit two days prior to the pole-line collapse, likely inducing tension pull on the poles.
- Machinery from construction activity in the vicinity may have come in contact with poles.
- The base of Pole #3284 was exposed due to excavation.
- The anchor to Pole #3226, at the west end of the pole line, pulled from the ground.
- Pole #3280 was set to an insufficient depth when originally installed.
- A third-party communications cable added to the pole line contributed stress and load.
- Deterioration of poles due to age and insects.
The affected pole line had been identified for replacement during regular pole inspection. Utilities Kingston had built a new pole line and, at the time of the collapse, removal of the affected pole line was nearly complete. The end-of-life pole line was scheduled to be transferred to the new poles on the north side of the road the Monday following the collapse.
Our community can continue to have confidence in the safety of the electricity distribution system. Utilities Kingston adheres to industry standards and regulations, and we exercise due diligence in managing the system.
In accordance with industry code, Utilities Kingston inspects poles and related equipment through an annual preventative maintenance program and prioritizes them for replacement.
As part of its preventative maintenance program, Utilities Kingston had begun investigating new pole-testing technology to help assess the internal strength of the poles before the event. The assessment of this new technology continues.
By the end of 2016, more than 1,000 poles had been replaced (since 2011) representing 15 per cent of the total. More than $11 million was invested to renew overhead infrastructure, including poles, transformers, wires and other components. With plans approved by the Ontario Energy Board for 2017-2020, there will be an additional $5.6 million invested to renew overhead infrastructure, including the replacement of approximately 550 poles.
Luckily, while the pole collapse disrupted traffic and caused widespread power outages, no one was injured. Public and worker safety is our number one concern. Knowing what to do in case of downed power lines can save your life. We are so thankful that bystanders and vehicle occupants did exactly the right thing by keeping clear or staying in their vehicles until Utilities Kingston staff told them it was safe,
Watch for an upcoming powerline safety campaign from Utilities Kingston.
Utilities Kingston now offers mapped information on emergency outages
We strive to continually improve outage communications so that disruption to our customers is minimized. The public can refer to the outage map as a reliable source of information during water and electricity outages in our service areas.
Customers experiencing an outage can go to UtilitiesKingston.com/Outages to see if information is up on the map. Our goal is to provide accurate, timely details so it shows the latest available information on both planned and unplanned outages.