High-risk copper theft from Burlington substation could have had dire consequences
Published July 15, 2022 at 11:21 am
Officials from Burlington Hydro say a high-risk copper theft from a substation could have turned out much worse than it did.
The recent theft from the Bridgeview substation, located in the hydro corridor on Plains Rd. W., west of Glenbrook Ave. saw copper wire cut and stolen, compromising the safety of workers and the public.
“The substation grounding system is an essential part of the overall electrical system. These thieves compromised this by putting themselves, Burlington Hydro workers and the public at risk,” said Paul Heeg, vice president, Engineering Services and Network Operations.
“Grounding is an essential means for dissipating electrical current into the earth and provides a safe environment to protect workers and others in the vicinity of the station from the dangers of serious electrical shock.”
Stealing copper ground wire is a dangerous activity whenever the bond to ground is removed. In this case, most of the cut copper was located on the station fence where different sections of the fence and gates are bound together and where they are connected to the station ground grid. A section of the transformer ground was also cut.
More than 20 metres of copper gauge wire was required to make the needed repairs, at a cost of about $3,000. Other locations in the city have also had ground wires cut from hydro poles.
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The high price of copper has emboldened some individuals to undertake these dangerous thefts. Those actions can end very badly with the electrocution of the individual tampering with utility equipment. Removal of the copper ground also creates the potential for a major power outage.
“Incidents of copper theft from our distribution infrastructure are deeply concerning,” said Gerry Smallegange, president and CEO. “Safety is always our No. 1 priority, so any activity that comprises our system and poses serious safety issues is taken very seriously. Thieves don’t always appreciate the degree of danger they expose themselves, or others to, in stealing copper from our distribution infrastructure.”
If anyone has any information about these incidents or if you see anyone suspicious tampering with utility equipment, please report it to Halton Regional Police at 905-825-4777 or call Burlington Hydro at 1-877-310-4937.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or at the website.
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