Power networks/Canada
This page covers mapping related to power infrastructure in Canada.
Background
Canada's power grid is divided into various asynchronous grids operating under a common frequency of 60 Hz, and are composed of more than 160,000 kilometres (99,000 mi) of power lines. The Canadian power grids are integrated with the United States power grids through interconnections. Major grids include the Western Interconnection in Alberta and British Columbia, the Eastern Interconnection in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, and the Quebec Interconnection in Quebec. Labrador (areas not served by transmission lines coming out of Churchill Falls), and the territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut are served by smaller grids that do not interconnect with the rest of the Canadian grid. The three wide-area grids are connected by HVDC back-to-back converters, variable-frequency transformers and autotransformers.
Voltages
Voltages used on power lines across Canada differs by province or territory, but the most common are the following (listed from highest to lowest, with voltages within tolerance listed together):
| Voltage | Areas where used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 735 kV | Quebec | |
| 500 kV | Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario | |
| 345 kV | Nova Scotia | |
| 315 kV | Quebec | |
| 230 kV and 240 kV | Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Yukon | 240 kV used only in Alberta, otherwise carries the same level of power as 230 kV. |
| 161 kV | Quebec | |
| 138 kV and 144 kV | Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba (northern regions), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Yukon | 144 kV used only in Alberta, on ATCO Electric power lines. Most of Alberta otherwise also uses 138 kV. Older lines may post this at 132 kV. Voltages are within tolerance of each other. |
| 115 kV and 120 kV | Manitoba (southern portions), Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec | 120 kV used only in Quebec (but otherwise carries similar levels of power as 115 kV). Older lines may post this as 110 kV. |
| 66 kV, 69 kV and 72 kV | Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Saskatchewan | 72 kV only used in Alberta (by ATCO and EPCOR, otherwise 69 kV) and Saskatchewan. 66 kV only in Manitoba. |
| 44 kV and 49 kV | Ontario, Quebec | 49 kV in Quebec, exclusively in the Eastern Townships. |
| 14.4/25 kV | most of the country | |
| 8.0/13.8 kV | Alberta (Edmonton), Ontario | |
| 7.2/12.47 kV | British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan | |
| 2.4/4.16 kV | Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg | legacy voltage used in inner-city distribution networks |
Progress
As of 2023, most major power lines have been mapped with the most important details, such as conductor count and voltage, but there still remain various power lines with no other tags, such as those imported from Canvec data. Distribution lines are sometimes mapped.
By province:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Québec (in French)
- Saskatchewan
Tagging suggestions
- Lines from 66 kV and above: power=line
- Distribution lines: power=minor_line