SaskPower has completed construction on the $19-million Preston Crossing project in Saskatoon. The new transmission line and substation upgrade will enable SaskPower to deliver more power to the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) and accommodate growth in the surrounding area.

Construction of the new transmission line began in fall 2021 following extensive consultation and engagement with the local community. Crews were able to complete the project without planned outages; however, some intermittent traffic restrictions were required.

"The Preston Crossing project will enable us to provide the power needed to grow the U of S and develop the surrounding area in coming years," said Kory Hayko, SaskPower Vice-President of Transmission and Industrial Services. “Constructing a transmission line in a busy urban environment comes with some unique challenges, and we would like to thank area residents and commuters for their patience while we undertook this important work.”

The line connects the new Preston Crossing Substation, located along Preston Avenue, and the W.J Bunn Substation on Attridge Drive near the entrance to the Forestry Farm. SaskPower was able to optimize land use by using an existing Saskatoon Light and Power right-of-way for part of the line along Attridge Drive.

Several trees had to be removed to accommodate construction of the new line. SaskPower will work with City of Saskatoon to restore the green space with new vegetation in the coming months. To bring the project to full completion, the new infrastructure will be used to upgrade the U of S substation in 2023. This will have no impact on the public. Some clean-up work will also take place in the coming weeks.

For further information on this and other SaskPower construction projects, please visit saskpower.com/projects.

At a glance...

• SaskPower’s $19-million Preston Crossing Project is now complete
• The upgraded line and substation will allow SaskPower to provide more power to the U of S and accommodate growth in the surrounding area
• SaskPower will work with the City of Saskatoon to complete landscaping and re-vegetation in the coming months
• More information can be found at saskpower.com/projects