It doesn't matter how many megawatts power plants are dishing out. Without good transmission lines, energy isn't going anywhere.
Thousands of miles of transmission lines run across Canada's southern provinces. Big cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Calgary benefit from hundreds of power plants pumping out as much power as they can. However, even with an abundance of power lines, most of them need major refurbishments.
In 2013, The Globe and Mail reported that power companies would have to shell out almost $300 billion within the next two decades to maintain adequate power supply.
Across Canada, electricity companies are spending billions a year to reinforce aging transmission and distribution systems, with the industry estimating it will need nearly $300-billion over all in the next two decades to meet Canada’s demand for reliable power, according to a 2012 report by the Conference Board of Canada.
What does this mean for power using consumers? Aside from the high risk of area blackouts, the energy cost will remain high and put the country's essential functions at risk. All it takes to leave millions without power is a well-placed hit by a natural disaster. While grid maintenance systems have vastly improved from the time Toronto went dark in the summer of 2003, major power outages are still being experienced to this day.
Grid Tie Systems
Nowadays, a number of residents and companies in many parts of the country have taken it upon themselves to install grid tie systems like solar panels. In Vancouver, these systems are connected to Canada's power grid but provide energy to the building or there neighbours. Those who subscribe to this system rely on harnessed solar energy in Vancouver to enjoy electricity without the high utility bills.
A well-designed grid tie system gives a house or building most if not all their power needs. Additionally, grid systems aren't just limited to solar power in Vancouver; they can also be hybrids of solar and other energy sources, such as wind and geothermal.
Providers like Terratek Energy can recommend and design a system that will match your needs and preferences, including the choice to make solar power your main energy source; or as back-up in case of another blackout, caused by an aging infrastructure or natural calamity.
(Source: Coast to coast, a power grid stretched thin, The Globe and Mail)