The History of Hydro in Brampton

"Electric light has had its day!" 1883 This view was expressed in an editorial in The Brampton Conservator. The author went on to express his faith in the existing gas lighting system, operated by the Haggart Manufacturing Company (located on the north side of Nelson Street). 1885 James Oscar Hutton installed a 100 horsepower generator on the Credit River to power his woollen mills in Huttonville. This installation began the story of electricity in Brampton.

Huttonville Generating Station

Power from the Huttonville plant was used to illuminate an arc lamp in front of the Queens Hotel, ca. 1886.

1886 A 2,200 volt line was built to bring the first electrical power from the Huttonville plant to downtown Brampton. The first lamp to be illuminated by electricity in Brampton, shone so brightly that people across the street were able to read the fine print of a newspaper. The reluctance of the townspeople to accept electricity was dispelled following this event.

1903 John McMurchy, who had been operating the Huttonville Generating Station since 1897, purchased the plant in 1903. Mr. McMurchy increased the capacity of the generator to 300 horsepower and the number of customers went from 43 to almost 500. 1906 Ontario formed the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario (HEPCO) to bring electricity from Niagara Falls to the southwestern municipalities, including the Town of Brampton.

McMurchy Woollen Mills

New lines brought the power of the Niagara to Brampton in 1911

1911 Construction of the transmission system was completed and continuous service from this new power source began on October 16th, 1911. 1912 In February 1912, Brampton taxpayers voted to allow the Hydro-Electric Power Commission to purchase Mr. McMurchy's rights to the electricity supply in Brampton in order "to prevent needless competition." 1918 Brampton streets were now lit throughout the night.

1936 It took 50 years to increase the distribution voltage from the original 2,200 to 4,160 volts. 1949 The Brampton Hydro-Electric Commission authorized the conversion of the 25 to 60-cycle power system - it took 5 years to convert the 25-cycle motors street by street across town.

Electricity was turned off one street at a time and an electrician would go through each house converting appliances with 25-cycle motors to the new 60 cycle frequency.

New subdivisions in Brampton are built with hydro lines running underground as opposed to overhead for better reliability and aesthetic reasons.

1960 Brampton Hydro began the installation of underground distribution systems in new subdivision-style developments. Conversion from unsightly overhead wires to underground continues to this day in some of the older sections of the City. 1974 The Town of Brampton became the City of Brampton when its boundaries were extended to include the Township of Chinguacousy (which included Bramalea), Toronto Gore, and a small northern section of Mississauga. 1978 On January 1st, 1978, Brampton Hydro expanded its service territory from 16 to 96 square miles, more than doubling its number of customers.

1986 The number of Brampton Hydro customers surpasses 50,000. 1992 Brampton Hydro staff, who previously occupied two buildings, on Glidden Road (service facility) and on Main Street (administrative building) - were united into a new facility on Sandalwood Parkway.

Employees wave as the last of a fleet of hydro vehicles arrive at their location at 175 Sandalwood Parkway West on August 14, 1992.

Brampton Hydro Networks Inc. is purchased by Hydro One Inc. on August 1, 2001

1998 The Ontario Legislature passes the Energy Competition Act as the Province prepares to open the electricity market to competition. The market opens to competition on May 1, 2002. 2000 The Brampton Hydro-Electric Commission is dismantled and ownership of the utility is turned over to the City of Brampton. In preparation for the restructuring and deregulation of the industry, it incorporated as Brampton Hydro Networks Inc. 2001 Brampton Hydro is sold by the City of Brampton to the newly-formed, provincially- owned, Hydro One Inc., and is renamed Hydro One Brampton Networks Inc.

2002 The new transformer station, the first to be owned and operated solely by Hydro One Brampton, goes into service on July 4th, 2002. 2003 Hydro One Brampton celebrates its 100,000th customer connection in August, 2003.

The new Jim Yarrow Transformer Station was designed to blend in with local neighbourhoods.